PKR exposes Deepak’s jewellery buys

PKR exposes Deepak’s jewellery buys

UPDATED @ 04:31:57 PM 02-01-2013

By Zurairi AR

January 02, 2013

Rafizi said it was unlikely Deepak had bought all the jewellery for his own use. — File pic

PETALING JAYA, Jan 2 ― PKR’s Rafizi Ramli today revealed bank transaction records between controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan and two jewellery suppliers amounting to US$4 million (RM12.15 million), saying the purchases were excessive for one man. The PKR strategy director alleged the documents showed that Deepak’s involvement as a jewellery middleman for a local dignitary was more than just rumours.
“Logically if you look at the summary of accounts ... Deepak bought and paid progressively a total of US#3.66 million for jewellery. I can’t say that Deepak bought all of them for himself,” he told a press conference here today.
Rafizi provided the press with copies of transaction records, including one for a US$115,000 purchase of polished diamonds from Dehres Ltd, a fine jewellery supplier from Hong Kong.
Another document detailed transactions worth US$3.9 million involving the purchases of rings, necklaces and earrings from Firestone Co Ltd, another Hong Kong-based fine jewellery supplier.
Rafizi had contacted both Dehres and Firestone, but has not received any response from the companies.
Last Saturday, Rafizi alleged that Boustead Holdings Bhd’s acquisition of an 80 per cent stake in Deepak’s company Astacanggih Sdn Bhd is an attempt to silence the businessman.

“This is worse than a bailout ... this is outright bribery to practically pay off and silence (Deepak),” Rafizi told a press conference.

The PKR strategy director also accused Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of abusing his power by spending public money through government investment fund Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), which owns Boustead, to acquire the loss-making property development company.

The politician added that if the recent allegations made by Deepak over the murder of Mongolian model Altantuyaa Shaariibuu had not been considered serious, it was unlikely that LTAT would have proceeded with the buyout.

Deepak recently also exposed an alleged deal between Awan Megah Sdn Bhd, the company owned by Selangor Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Abdullah, and the federal government for a parcel of land involved in the acquisition by Boustead.

He said that Deepak’s allegation had likely “frightened” the Barisan Nasional (BN) government so much that it had instructed Zahid to proceed with the move.