Swiss bank UBS denies any dealings with Hasan Ali Khan

Mumbai, Feb 16 (PTI) Swiss banking powerhouse UBS todaydenied recent Indian media reports alleging that it maintainsa business relationship with Hasan Ali Khan, the main accusedin a USD 8-billion money laundering and tax evasion case.

"The documentation supposedly corroborating suchallegations is false. UBS does not have accounts for, or anyassets of Khan, and has no knowledge of any of the allegedtransactions referred to in the recent media reports," thebank said in a statement issued here today.

On February 11, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre toensure that Khan did not leave the country in connection withthe black money case.

The bank also claimed that in January 2007, following arequest for information from Indian authorities, UBS hadinformed the Swiss justice department that the documentspurporting to be from UBS, and suggesting that Khan washolding assets with it, were forged.

Following investigation, the Swiss justice department andfederal banking commission were fully satisfied that there wasno basis for the allegations and it was established thatdocuments were forged, the statement claimed.

In January 2009, the Mumbai income-tax department hadissued notices to Hasan Ali Khan, a Pune-based real estateconsultant and stud farm owner, who is the prime accused inthe cases involving a USD 8 billion (around 37,000-crore)money laundering, and tax evasion..