Cyprus firm writes to PMO, wants FIR against Verma

Corewip Limited, a foreign joint venture partner of incarcerated arms dealer Abhishek Verma and Congress politician Jagdish Tytler's son Siddharth among others, has written to Prime Minister's Office (PMO) seeking directions to Delhi Police to register an FIR against their Indian partners for allegedly committing a fraud of $1.1 million on the basis of forged documents.

Joseph Rubinstein, president of the Cyprus-based company, has complained against the Delhi Police economic offences wing for dragging its feet on registration of FIR despite filing of a formal complaint on November 16, 2011. Corewip has requested the case be transferred to CBI and Enforcement Directorate.

According to documents with Hindustan Times, Rubinstein on July 23 wrote a letter to principal secretary to the prime minister alleging that Verma and his associates including Siddharth had faked bank statements and deposit slips of a multinational bank in Delhi to show they had deposited their share of the joint venture's capital.

"Verma and his associates submitted fake e-mail correspondence between him and the banks showing that the money was remitted to us by him (after the joint venture was dissolved)," said Rubinstein.

On November 18, 2009, Ganton India Pvt Limited, a company managed by Verma's wife Anca Neacsu, and Corewip Ltd had floated a joint venture called GT Telecom with both partners expected to put in R5 crore as capital.

Rubinstein has alleged that with connivance of bank employees, Verma and associates changed the authorised signatories of the accounts and withdrew the money deposited by Corewip from the account.

"My son has already replied to a legal notice sent by Corewip on February 10 this year. He was just a stakeholder. He is not part of any fraud. I only knew Arjun Arora who was working with Abhishek, I am also told that one of the directors in the joint venture has moved the Supreme Court for arbitration of the dispute between Corewip and GT Telecom," said Jagdish Tytler on his son's behalf.

Deputy commissioner of police KK Vyas, economic offences wing of Delhi Police, told HT: "No FIR has been registered yet but we will soon take this compliant to logical conclusion. The documents provided by the complainant are under scrutiny."

Abhishek Verma's lawyer Vijay Agarwal told HT: "These complaints are part of a strategy of putting pressure on Abhishek to come around and settle matters."

The Tytler connection