Manikchand owner denies underworld link

Rasiklal Dhariwal, chairman of the Manikchand group of companies, on Monday denied any involvement with the underworld.

In a statement from abroad, he said he will not be able to return to India in the current accounting year as any longer stay in India will hamper his non-resident Indian status.

"In the present year, I have already stayed in India for almost six months and, therefore, I will not be able to visit India this accounting year. If I do, I may lose my NRI status," he said.

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He, however, said he is willing to undergo police questioning through video conferencing. He said this has been conveyed to the police authorities.

He called the media reports against him as 'unfortunate'.

Police officials refused to comment on the statement.

Dhariwal, along with J M Joshi, owner of Gutkha brand 'Goa', was summoned by the police on December 3 for questioning in a matter related to their alleged links with underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

Their relatives, however, told the court the two were abroad.