PMO gives nod to questioning of Puducherry LG by ED

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) The Indian Prime Minister's
Office has given its nod to the Enforcement Directorate to
question Lt Governor of the south Indian Union Territory of
Puducherry, Iqbal Singh, this week for his alleged links with
suspected money launderer Hasan Ali Khan.
The Home Ministry had sought PMO's clearance to the ED's
request to record a statement of Singh in connection with his
recommendation for issue of passport to Khan.
Sources said the PMO gave its approval and Singh will be
quizzed later this week.
Singh, who was in the capital, has left for Puducherry
and his statement will be recorded at the Raj Niwas there, the
sources said.
The ED wanted to question Singh after his name cropped
up during questioning of a Bihar based Congress leader Amlendu
Pandey in connection with the recommendation for expeditious
issuance of passport to Khan, a Pune stud farm owner who is
facing tax evasion and money laundering charges.
Singh has admitted to have recommended expeditious
issue of passport to Khan but claimed he never knew him.
The Lt Governor had met Home Minister P Chidambaram and
explained his position on the matter. "The LG is willing to
make a statement to the ED," Chidambaram had later stated.
53-year-old Khan, arrested last month, has been accused
of stashing upto 8 billion dollars in foreign bank accounts.
He is also being investigated for links with international
arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi.
In 1997, Singh was a Rajya Sabha MP from the Congress
party when he helped expedite a passport application of Khan.
In a letter sent to Union Home Minister last week, Singh
had claimed that he asked for the passport to be granted on
humanitarian grounds because he had been told that Khan needed
to travel abroad urgently to visit his ailing brother.