Author: Rahul Tripathi & Manu Pubby
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: August 12, 2012
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/verma-flaunted-tytler-link-circulated-photos/987231/0

Arms dealer Abhishek Verma may have claimed in a Delhi court that Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was using his political connections to keep him in jail, but it turns out that Verma introduced the Congress leader to his foreign contacts as “Indian VVIP” and “General Secretary”.

A new set of documents that has been shared with the Central Bureau of Investigation contains photographs of Tytler with a Russian businessman, Ara Abramian, who is believed to represent Russian military firms. C Edmond Allens, the former Escrow fund manager of Verma, is now on record to say that these meetings with Tytler were related to a fighter jet contract.

“I have never met Jagdish Tytler personally, nor have I received any instructions from him. Verma has, however, always sent me photos of Tytler participating in his business meetings, most notably the one arranged by MiG for oligarchs from Russia to meet Verma and Tytler regarding a fighter tender as well as Tytler’s son participating in the GT Telecom Project,” Allen told The Sunday Express from New York.

Tytler, when reached for his comment, denied any business links with Verma. “The question does not arise of my meeting those people with any particular purpose or for a business dealing. I will never be associated with anything like that,” Tytler said. But he confirmed meeting the Russian delegation led by Abramian at his house in New Delhi.

Verma, who has been accused of forgery by Sports Minister Ajay Maken for producing a letter on his behalf to impress Chinese clients, however, made taller claims to his associates. An itinerary he sent for Abramian’s visit included a meeting with Tytler under the sub-head ‘political meetings’. It also contained a detailed profile of the Congress leader.

In several emails planning the Russian tycoon’s visit, Verma claimed he would provide Abramian armed bodyguards from the National Security Guard (NSG) and boasted that he would send his representatives to meet the ‘guests’ at the parking bay where the private jet would land.

In another email to prospective defence client Hawker Beechcraft, he wrote about a party he organised and said was attended by Tytler. “I apologise I was not able to spend time with you as I was distracted due to the fact that I had to introduce everyone to the Guest of Honour Ara Abramian as well as some senators and Indian VVIPs like the General Secretary Jagdish Tytler,” Verma wrote. Subsequent emails that Verma sent to this client included attachments of Tytler’s photographs at what he said were his parties.

The Congress leader however said that Verma was manipulating facts and documents. “He is a liar. Ever since I have given a judgment involving a piece of Noida land against him, he is trying to defame me by manipulating facts and forging documents,” Tytler said.

The Noida land case involved a joint venture between Verma’s Ganton and two other firms. The joint venture, GT Telecom, was to set up a facility in Noida but failed to do so. The partners went to court over the ownership of the Noida land. The court appointed Tytler, whose son was a shareholder in GT, as arbitrator and Tytler ruled against Verma in the dispute.

On being shown some of his photographs that Verma allegedly circulated, Tytler admitted that he did attend Verma’s parties. “At all these parties Anca had a habit of taking photographs. I used to discourage this. It is possible that some of them were taken without my permission,” he said referring to Verma’s wife Anca Neacsu.

When shown photos of him and Abramian, the Congress leader conceded that the Russian businessman did visit his house. “These photos were taken at my house. Abhishek brought them to my residence. It was not a business meeting,” Tytler said.