Lodha’s scalp may open Pandora’s box

The arrest of Kolkata-based realtor Parasmal Lodha by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi on Thursday sent shivers down the spine of many politicians across parties, along with their `benamis’ and conduits in Tamil Nadu who had financial dealings with him.

Lodha’s arrest is linked to his converting about Rs 25 crore in demonetised currencies into new Rs 2,000 notes for Chennai-based sand mining baron J Shekhar Reddy and Delhi lawyer Rohit Tandon. However, Rohit Tandonhis name had figured during an earlier I-T raid on Karurbased businessman C P Anbunathan in the run-up to the Tamil Nadu assembly elections in April this year.

Tax sleuths could seize only Rs 4.87 crore from Anbunathan’s premises, but his laptop and cellphone secured during the raids gave proof of several prominent politicians having parked thousands of crores of rupees both in India and abroad, through Anbunathan and Lodha.

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