Probe begins against art dealer for ‘forgery’

At a function organised in Mumbai to announce his new brand ambassador to market the 100 M.F. Husain paintings he is buying, businessman Gur...

At a function organised in Mumbai to announce his new brand ambassador to market the 100 M.F. Husain paintings he is buying, businessman Guru Swarup Srivastava denied that he had forged documents as alleged by HDFC Bank and two city-based chartered accountants.

On Friday, The Indian Express reported how Srivastava, chairman and managing director of the Swarup Group of Industries, was being probed by the Mumbai Police after he was accused of forgery by HDFC Bank and two city chartered accountants.

‘‘The allegations are not true,’’ Srivastava told reporters as he introduced actor Fardeen Khan as brand ambassador for the paintings due to be launched worldwide. ‘‘Let the law take its own course.’’

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In Santacruz, officers of the Economic Offences Wing today began their investigations into the case by questioning P.S. Shetty, one of the chartered accountants who alleged that his signature and seal had been forged by Srivastava.

Meanwhile, Husain did not show up at the function held in a suburban five-star hotel. No explanation was, however, given for his absence.

Srivastava shot to national prominence last year when he announced that he would pay Husain Rs 100 crore for the deal.

Apart from the complaints filed against Srivastava, The Indian Express also reported how income tax records showed that Srivastava, as the sole proprietor of his companies, had declared incomes of Rs 49,253 for the financial year 2001-02 and Rs 1.36 lakh for the financial year 2002-03.

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The signatures were allegedly forged on documents for a home loan, profit and loss statements and on applications seeking deduction of tax at source for foreign exchange payments.