Green House Promoters and DB Group closely linked: CBI

New Delhi, May 1: Sadiq Batcha a close aide of former Telecom Minister A Raja, was running his firm Green House Promoters (GHP) under the influence of Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka of DB Group, accused in the 2G scam, the CBI has told a Delhi court to establish alleged conspiracy in the case.

The CBI has recorded the statement of an employee of Green House Promoters Pvt Ltd whose Managing Director Batcha had fired over 40 employees on the recommendation of Balwa.

Batcha, who was interrogated by the CBI, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Chennai in March.

His personal assistant M Kevin Amritraj told the agency that the employees were removed in furtherance of some plan or tie up between the two firms.

"On being asked about the relation between Green House Promoters and DB Group of Mumbai, I state that many officials of Green House Promoters Ltd were interviewed by a team of DB Realty during late 2008 and on their recommendations, around 42 employees were removed by Green House Promoters.

"It was in connection with some plan of joint venture or some other arrangement/ tie up between Green House Promoters and DB Group," Amritraj said.

He said that Rs 1.25 crore was transferred by Eterna Developers Pvt Ltd, a DB Group firm, to Green House Promoters and the same amount was paid back by Batcha's firm.

"I am also aware that one company of DB Group, Eterna Developers Pvt Ltd had some business transactions with Green House Promoters Pvt Ltd. It (Eterna Developers) transferred around Rs 1.25 crore to Green House Promoters and after some time, this amount was paid back by Green House Promoters to Eterna Developers," Amritraj said.

Raja's nephew R P Parmesh Kumar, in his statement before the CBI, has said that the former telecom minister's wife Parmeshwari, his brother A Kaliaperumal and another nephew Ramachandran Raganesh were other directors of Green House Promoters.

Amritraj was offered job by Batcha and he joined the firm as personal assistant to him.

He told CBI that he was later designated as Business Advisor and his main duties were to arrange dealings between the important clients and Green House Promoters.

PTI