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Big Bull's brother Ashwin Mehta says PV was paid Rs 10 million

Ashwin Mehta, brother of big bull Harshad Mehta today confirmed before the Bombay high court that an alleged payment of Rs 10 million was made to the then prime minster P V Narasimha Rao by Harshad Mehta in the presence of him.

Ashwin Mehta was deposing before the court in the famous Maruti Udyog Limited case where Harshad Mehta has been charged with siphoning off funds.

Ashwin Mehta, during his deposition before Justice M S Rane hearing the security scam cases today, during his examination by advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, said that prior to his visit to Delhi on November 3, 1991, Harshad Mehta spoke with Mohan Khandelwal, an accused in MUL case now turned approver, about the arrangement of Rs 10 million.

Mehta also confirmed that Mohan Khandelwal informed Harshad Mehta and himself that he had delivered Rs 3.3 million to Sitaram Kesri, then treasurer of the Congress Party at his residence.

Meanwhile, during his cross examination by advocate V J Pradhan on behalf of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Mehta told the court that according to him, there is a correlation between this case as well as other cases where Mohan Khandelwal in particular has been made an approver as these cases appear to be vexatious and brought about against them (the Mehtas) to meet the requirements of the then political bosses.

He also said that it appears that they (the Mehtas) have been made scapegoats and Khandelwal has been bargained for approvership to suppress some vital facts and in fact has been deposing in various forums contrary to the facts.

Today was the last day of Ashwin Mehta's deposition.

UNI

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