Ambidant case: CCB questions Ballari jeweller

Bengaluru: Ambika Jewellers (CCB) officials probing the Ambident Ponzi scam have now summoned Ramesh, who owns a jewellery shop in Ballari, for questioning. The CCB wants to track the trail of 57 kg gold consignment, which was handed over to Ali Khan.

Ramesh, who is one of the accused case and currently out on bail, is being questioned at CCB headquarters since Wednesday.

According to the sources Ramesh told the officials that he had received the gold from Ambika jewellers in Bengaluru, after Fareed made the payment through RTGS.

Fareed earlier told the police that he had made the payment to Ambika Jewellers at the behest of mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy. He was instructed to hand over gold to Ali Khan. Ramesh said he handed over gold to Ali Khan and claimed ignorance about further transactions.

CCB officials are now looking for the person who received the consignment from Ali Khan.

It may be recalled that Ali Khan, who is also out on bail, had submitted an affidavit before a court that he had borrowed money from Fareed and would return it in 10 days.

CCB officials, however, claim they are close to a breakthrough and disputed Reddy's claim. The mining baron had admitted that Ali Khan had invested money in Ambidant and Fareed, who met Reddy at a hotel in the city, assured to return it. If Khan according to Reddy had invested around '70 lakh, how could Fareed return it in gold, CCB sources said.