ED quizzes Ahmed Patel in PMLA case

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 30

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today questioned senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel for the second time since Saturday in connection with its money laundering probe into Sandesara brothers’ Rs 14,500 crore bank fraud case.

Like Saturday, a team of ED officials again visited Patel’s residence here and questioned him to ascertain facts relating to the alleged fraud by Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech. Officials said Patel’s statements were again recorded under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A source in the ED said, “Since the investigators were not satisfied with Patel’s answers on Saturday, they again visited his residence to record statement afresh.”

Patel, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, said: “(Prime Minister) Modi and (Union Home Minister) Shah’s people came and questioned me and I replied to their questions.”

Last year, the ED had questioned Patel’s son Faisal Patel about his relations with the Sandesara brothers (Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara and Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara), owners and promoters of Vadodara-based pharmaceutical firm Sterling Biotech.