Hassan Ali Khan, the controversial racehorse owner who is a prime suspect in a multi-crore money-laundering scam, appeared before Pune police to record his statement on Sunday, his advocate said.However, police said this was only a preliminary inquiry and that they had nothing to do with the case, which was being handled by the Enforcement Directorate in New Delhi. Pune police had summoned Khan in connection with criminal cases registered against him in Hyderabad in the early nineties.Khan’s lawyer Viraj Kakde refused to comment on rumours that police had visited his client’s house and questioned him for over two hours in the afternoon. He also refused to say when his client recorded a statement with the police or how long it took. Asked whether the statement was recorded, Deputy Commissioner (Crime) Anil Kumbhare said, “We have nothing to do with the case. Why don’t you contact the ED as it’s the right agency to comment on the issue.” Earlier in the day, Kumbhare had said it wasn’t necessary that Khan himself turn up for recording the statement; his lawyer’s presence would do.Reporters and TV crew had gathered since morning outside the anti-extortion cell at the Police Commissionerate, waiting for Khan to arrive. When he didn’t till 2 p.m., they went to Khan’s house, in Tulip Apartments, Valentina Society, in the Koregaon Park area.The gates to Valentina Society were closed and toughs who said they were security guards walked about staring menacingly and kept the media at bay. One of them said they had orders from residents to drive the media away.Some residents told the media to leave, though a few reporters were allowed to go near Tulip Apartments, where Khan lives, for a few minutes.Parked outside the apartments was a blue luxury car, said to belong to Khan’s father-in-law. “I’ve been working here for two years and have seen Khan a number of times. But for the last few days, his family has been moving in cars with tinted glasses,” said a guard from a building in the neighbourhood.
