Meat exporter Qureshi lied he didn't own property abroad: Chargesheet

NEW DELHI: Controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi may have claimed that he had no property overseas, but his casual BBM (Blackberry Messenger) chat has revealed that he lied on oath, the chargesheet filed against him by the Income-Tax department states. His overseas assets include a property in Mayfair, London apart from bank accounts and firms in British Virgin Islands and Singapore, the charge sheet notes.
According to the document, which was recently shared with an intelligence agency, Qureshi denied having any oversees property or bank account during questioning. He claimed he had just one account in HSBC Bank in South Extension, Delhi. However, the agencies tracking his communications came across a BBM chat with one Vikram Shroff. During the chat, Shroff messaged Qureshi asking, “May I have your address please“. To this, Qureshi replied, “Chesterfield House, flat no. 4, South Audley Street, Mayfair, London.“
Later, when sleuths confronted Qureshi with the BBM message, he tried to wriggle out of the situation by saying this property was owned by his in-laws who are Pakistani. But investigations revealed the property was bo ught for 38.5 lakh pounds by one Bulova Holdings Pvt Ltd.The department managed to get ownership details of this firm through a letters rogatory (LR) from the Singapore government (he has a bank account in Singapore), which revealed the firm was owned by Qureshi himself, the charge sheet states.
According to the charge sheet, the consultancy fees for furnishing of the London property were paid by Bulova Holdings Ltd to Jean Louis Denoit, and the payments were made through bank account number 61128131. The Singapore authorities stated that Moin Akhtar Qureshi was the beneficial and sole owner of Bulova Holdings and various instructions were given by him for furnishing of the London property in this capacity .
The information also contains a copy of the declaration of the identity of the beneficial owner made by Bulova Holdings for “BSI AG“ Bank dated 8-3-2012 and 16-9-2014. Besides, the Singapore authoritIes have furnished information about another offshore entity , Barro Holdings. This entity had an account (no. 6C03122) with BSI Bank Ltd, Singapore, which was opened on 22-7-2011and closed on 19-4-2013. It was revealed that Qureshi was the beneficial owner of the account. Barro Holdings Ltd was incorporated in Seychelles.