Verma farmhouse leased to Ganton, GT Telecom

The Delhi farmhouse where Abhishek Verma was living, which was in the news last week after its owners were arrested for trying to evict Verma's staff, seems to be a key link that connects the arms dealer with several dubious defence deals that are currently being probed by investigative agencies.

The Vasant Kunj farmhouse, which was Verma's office-cum-residence before he was arrested by the CBI in June, was leased in the name of Ganton India, the defence firm that had inked deals with several global manufacturers that are currently under scrutiny.

Verma, who is currently under arrest in a case involving Swiss-based Rhienmetall AD, has been claiming that he is not connected to Ganton India. However, the fact that he was living and operating out of the farmhouse that had been leased in the company's name is vital evidence in the cases being pursued against him.

Verma's former New York-based escrow agent C Edmonds Allen, who has been helping the CBI and Enforcement Directorate, has now shared evidence that the farmhouse was leased to Ganton India in April 2011.

The evidence that has been shared with the ED, which is pursuing a money laundering case against Verma, consists of agreements and lease documents that connect Ganton with the farmhouse.

Not only Ganton, the farmhouse was jointly leased in the name of GT Telecom — a company that is currently under the scanner after allegations were made by one of the three partners (Corewip) that Verma and Siddharth Tytler, the son of Congress leader Jadgish Tytler, defrauded it to the tune of Rs 5 crore.

The farmhouse is central to the various cases being pursued against Verma and the CBI is believed to have recovered evidence and files after it was raided in the wake of the arms agent's arrest in June. Payments for the long-term lease of the farmhouse as well as the security deposit were apparently made in cash, given that Verma does not have a bank account in India.

... contd.

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