Batcha’s driver had fled with Rs 6 cr, wife Reha Banu tells cops

Chennai: Sadhick Batcha’s wife Reha Banu on Wednesday reportedly told the police that in August last year his driver had escaped with Rs 6 crore from his car.

The police, who are questioning several people as part of the probe into the death of Batcha, quoted Reha Banu as saying that Batcha was upset after his driver disappeared with the money but preferred not to file a complaint. Batcha, a close aide of fomer Union minister A Raja, was found dead at his house in Chennai on March 16.

The police said the investigation also revealed that Batcha spoke to a friend called Subbudu (Subramanian) 40 times on the day before he allegedly took his life. Subramanian is a partner in Sadhick Real Estate Agency based in Perambalur, Raja's hometown.

A Mylapore police district officer said: “We have been instructed not to probe the 2G spectrum case. We have been told to only probe Batcha’s suicide.”

Reha Banu appeared upset during the questioning, the police said. They also quoted her as saying that the money he had dreamt of making claimed his life. “Driver Salim was very loyal initially and Batcha took him along on business trips. But when Batcha left his briefcase containing Rs 6 crore in his car and came home, Salim took it and never returned. I insisted that he file a police complaint but Batcha ignored it as the driver belonged to his hometown Lebbai Kudi Kadu near Perambalur,” Reha Banu was quoted as saying by the police.

Another police officer, assigned to look into Batcha's mobile phone call lists, said, “Batcha spoke to his close friend Subramanian, ‘Subbudu’, at least 40 times on March 15, a day before his suicide. He even mentioned Subbudu in his suicide note, which was found in his room on March 16.”

Subramanian had also been questioned by the CBI in connection with the 2G spectrum scam case. “Subramanian and Batcha jointly started Sadhick Real Estate Agency on Elambalur Road in Perambalur. Batcha later moved to Chennai and started Green House Promoters and made Raja's wife and a few others directors of the company,” the officer said.