“Aapko tension lene ki zaroorat nahin hai (You need not take any tension)”
Walia politely brings the Cobrapost reporter to his cabin downstairs where he advises him to opt for an insurance plan, GSIP, with guaranteed returns: “Saara cheque se aayega…saara tax-free hoga (All the return will come by cheque and will be tax-free).”
This is black money and belongs to a politician, says the reporter. Assuring him of the safety of the money, Walia volunteers to handle the cash. Would the cash be accepted the next year again? There is no need to take any tension on that account, he says: “Wo hum aap de denge … hum usko bana lenge … ya fir hum Sector 9 mein jab aap usmein bhej denge aapko … wo hum khud kara lenge… aapko tension lene ki zaroorat nahin hai (When you give it, we will manage it or we will direct you to Sector 9 …. we will take it upon ourselves. You need not take any tension).”
Has he handled other such cases where the client seeks to make black money white? Walia replies: “Ye bahut politicians karte hain … even jo aapke … main chalo share nahin karta … matlab karte hain kaafi (A lot of politicians do this … even your … let me not share this with you … I mean a lot of people do).”
The minister is expecting around Rs. 5–7 crore in January? The minister’s wife often goes to Jordan? Could he help send some money to her relatives in Jordan? It will be done, the branch manager says. Open an account. He says: “Remit hum kar sakte hain … ma’am ka account khol ke remit kar sakte hain … lekin wo doh lakh USD tak kar sakte hain (We can remit … we can remit up to USD 2 lakh by opening ma’am’s [politician’s wife’s] account) without a reason.” But for this we will require a PAN and it will show up in the records, Walia says.
Would investment of such a huge amount of cash attract the attention of the regulatory authorities? Walia says: “Dekho humne dus, dus lakh, bees pachees ek ek crore ke humne kiye hue hain (See, we have done transactions of Rs. 10, 20, 25 lakh, even 1 crore). We have been awarded …to aisa kuch nahin hai…aisa koi problem nahin hai (so, there is nothing to fear … there is no problem).”
Detailing the benefits of the pension plan he has suggested, Walia goes on to claim: “Hum karte hain … humne ki hai NRIs ki humne abhi ki hai bees lakh ki … fifty lakhs tak bhi kiya hua hai (We often do it …we did it recently for Rs. 20 lakh for some NRI … we have done it up to Rs. 50 lakhs).”
Was that all in cash, asks the reporter? Walia: “Cash nahin tha … DD se banwaya tha wo unhone (It was not in cash … he did it through DD).”
But ours is all cash. Walia: “Paanch lakh ka humne cash kiya hua hai… koi issue nahi aata usmein (We have done it in cash for Rs. 5 lakh, there is no issue).”
The meeting ends with the promise to meet later in the evening at the client’s residence to pursue the deal.
