Ex-Modi confidante: Top Ahmedabad tycoon knew of demonetization in advance, transferred black to white

By Our Representative
Widely considered in Gujarat as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's one-time confidante, Yatin Oza, a senior Gujarat High Court advocate, has claimed, on the basis of “evidence” he has gathered, that Modi had leaked his decision to demonetize Rs 500 and 1000 notes to a top industrialist of Ahmedabad.
Refusing to name this industrialist, Oza says, in the morning of November 9, someone “very near and dear” to him inform him that on November 8 at around 12 in the afternoon, ours before Modi announced demonetization, wife of one of the leading industrialists of Ahmedabad in her presence reached "a very leading jewellery shop and as per pre-order purchased gold worth Rs 20 crore.”
In a Facebook post, well-known anti-Modi former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt has shared Oza's letter to Modi, which says, “Gold was ready and packed and it took two minutes to transfer gold and cash to each other”, adding, the lady who saw all this was “present at the shop, buying pre-ordered jewellery worth Rs 5 lakh”, and happens to be a “doctor of a very high repute and eminence.”
Pointing out that as a member of the “kitchen cabinet" of Modi as Gujarat minister, he knows Modi pretty well, Oza insists, this shows, “information of demonetization must have been conveyed well before announcement to your near and dear industrialist who in total controls 50% of black money of this country.”
Oza dares Modi to inquire the purchase of gold and diamonds sold on November 7 and 8 before 8 pm, the timing of the announcement of demonetization, and by whom, adding, this alone would “enable people to think as to why few top notch needed purchase of huge amount of gold and diamonds.”
Also considered by many as BJP president Amit Shah's mentor, Oza blames Shah's men in Ahmedabad for carrying out large-scale operation for converting black money into white. He claims that he is possession of “a video recording” that would “clearly and beyond reasonable doubt prove that all the near and close associates ofShah since November 8 are engaged into exchange business.”
“There is a big queue outside their office and residence for conversion of black money into white at a discounted rate of 37%; people have queued up outside their office and residence”, says Oza, adding, “One has to go without identity with at least a sum of Rs 1 crore which will be counted by the employees and a bag containing Rs 63 lakh of valid denomination would be handed over.”
After being with BJP for long, Oza joined Congress and fought against Modi from the Maninagar assembly constituency of Ahmedabad in the December 2002 elections. After remaining inactive for some years, he rejoined the BJP, and, more recently, he declared he had joined Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party.
Oza underlines, “I could have easily parted with that video, but as I know you will punish those standing in queue rather than booking those persons engaged in the business who are near and dear to Shah.”
Commenting on the ban imposed on district cooperative banks from carrying out transactions of Rs 500 and 1000 rupee notes, Oza says, “One who knows you would refuse to accept that the ban that you imposed on district co-operative banks yesterday (November 14) was after you received an information that large scale irregularities and illegalities were committed at that level.”
“One thing is certain that such an important aspect could not have been out of your mind”, Oza says, “I for one knows very well that you will not act unless a complete blue print of your action is in your mind.”
Pointing out that in Gujarat “all district co-operative banks are controlled by people committed to BJP”, Oza says, “These banks right from 9 pm on November 8 till 5 am on November 9 exchanged Rs 500 and Rs1000 currency notes against smaller denomination.”