A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on Monday recorded evidence of Bombay Dyeing chairman Nusli Wadia in connection with a 26-year-old case where an attempt was made to kil
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on Monday recorded evidence of Bombay Dyeing chairman Nusli Wadia in connection with a 26-year-old case where an attempt was made to kill him.
During his testimony, apart from details related to his case, when asked about his kin and whether they were under any risk he informed the court that during 1987-89 when his son used to study in Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh, he was informed that his son was at a risk of getting kidnapped following which he shifted his son to England.
Mr Wadia also gave details of his business of 1981, how he established a plant by importing machinery from the US, however the customs had kept all his machinery under unwarranted detention for almost a month that gave an image to the public that the plant was junked.
Answering questions asked by the public prosecutor he said that he knew senior journalists from early 70s but refused that he had used them against his competitors.
The matter relates to an alleged criminal conspiracy to kill Mr Wadia and Kirti Ambani, then an executive of Reliance Industries Ltd, is the prime accused. The police had lodged an FIR on July 31, 1989, against Ambani.
Initially the case was with the Mumbai police crime branch but the state government transferred it to the CBI on August 2, 1989. In 2003, the special judge framed charges against Ambani and others — Arjun Babaria, Ivon Sequeira alias Shanu and Ramesh Jagothia — for criminally conspiring in 1988-89 to murder Mr Wadia, then the chairman of Bombay Dyeing. Jagothia was additionally charged under the Arms Act for the possession of a country-made revolver in July 1989.
Last year Wadia, who is a non-resident Indian, had moved the Central Bureau of Investigation court to be allowed to depose as a witness. He said that there was an attempt on his life so his statement should also be recorded as a witness. Ambani had moved an application asking for Mr Wadia’s statement be recorded in camera. His application, however, was rejected.
