ED searches Shah's offices, residence

ED searches Shah's offices, residence
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, JAN 13: The Enforcement Directorate is investigating the business claims of film financier and diamond businessman Bharat S Shah, who is now in police custody for his alleged links with the Dawood gang. This includes the papers related to the film `Chori Chori Chupke Chupke', in which Shah has claimed to have invested Rs 12 cr.

The ED has found his export outstandings in the diamond business to be around Rs 45 cr, sources told ENS. Of this, Rs 30 cr are on account of B Vijaykumar and Company itself.

Teams of ED officers today conducted searches at nine premises in connection with Shah. These included his Mehta Bhavan office at Charni Road and residence at Walkeshwar.

An alleged hawala operator at Chowpatty, who is known to be associated with Shah, was also searched. The offices and residence of producer of `Chori Chori... ' Nazeem Rizvi, at Andheri, were were also searched.

The others searched today were VIP Enterprises, which is a film distribution company, also owned by Bharat Shah. The Juhu office of Venus, was also searched, since it has been rumoured that Venus is fighting back Shah's efforts of a takeover. A premises in Goregaon was also searched.

A large number of documents have been recovered. The directorate is also looking into allegations of Shah having diverted Rs 15 cr from B V Jewels, another partnership firm of his, to various individual accounts.