IMA scam: IPS officer appears before CBI for questioning

Team Udayavani, Nov 24, 2020, 2:03 PM IST

Bngaluru: Senior IPS officer Ajay Hillori appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials in Bengaluru on Tuesday, November 24 in connection with the multi-crore I Monetary Advisory (IMA) Ponzi scheme scam.

The CBI has charge-sheeted two senior IPS officers Hemanth Nimbalkar, an inspector general of police, and Ajay Hillori, a superintendent of police, and three other policemen who gave the Ponzi scheme clearances. The police officers are alleged to have received bribes in excess of Rs 30 crore.

Under the Ponzi scheme, valued at over Rs 4000 crore by the CBI, hundreds of depositors were swindled of their savings. It was allegedly backed by top politicians, police, and state officials in Karnataka.

A promotee IAS officer, B M Vijay Shankar, who was arrested and charged for receiving a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore as the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Revenue Commissioner for clearing Ponzi scheme, committed suicide a few months ago. Several officials from the revenue department have been charge-sheeted.