Tax deadbeat is livin' large - Clinton's buddy owes city $2.4M

New York Daily News ^ | 11/24/02 | WILLIAM SHERMAN

[kattracks]

Sant Chatwal lives in a 7,000-square-foot East Side penthouse, presides over a massive hotel and restaurant empire and counts celebrities and politicians - including Bill and Hillary Clinton - among his friends.

On weekday mornings, when he leaves the 45th-floor apartment where he's entertained the former First Couple, Sen. Chuck Schumer and rap mogul Russell Simmons, he steps into a chauffeured Land Rover for the ride to his offices on the West Side. It's an entire building with its own private garage.

Chatwal has been lionized by Schumer as the personification of the American Dream - an immigrant who made it big. He came here by way of Canada from India as a young man to build his empire, starting with the Bombay Palace Restaurant at 30 W. 52nd St.

But with all that, on the books of the New York City Department of Finance, Chatwal has another billing.

Deadbeat.

Chatwal owes the city $2.4 million in back property taxes for a five-story building he owns at 1772 Second Ave., putting him near the top of New York's deadbeat list. He's been delinquent for several years.

Lavish lifestyle

The 56-year-old Chatwal did not respond to telephone calls and declined to meet with a reporter who visited his offices. His lawyer, Russell Rosen, said, "Have a nice day" before hanging up the phone when asked about the debt.

A spokesman for Sen. Clinton did not return a call asking for comment on the Clintons' relationship with Chatwal and the debt.

Schumer, who along with the Clintons attended the June 15 wedding of Chatwal's son Vivek at Tavern on the Green, also did not return calls.

Other politicians, including former House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.), were also among the 1,300 guests at the wedding. The dinner menu, with choice of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes, was topped off by a five-tiered lemon and poppyseed wedding cake filled with fresh raspberries and mousse coated with white butter cream icing, according to accounts.

Before dinner, the ceremony featured a female elephant named Minnie who saluted the bride and groom with her trunk, and a white horse that carried a basket of flowers in its teeth to the bride.

The details of Chatwal's debt to the city are a bit simpler.

"He owes the money, $2.4 million, and we have a lien on the building, but when we try to sell it, and this has happened a number of times, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development stops it," said Department of Finance spokesman Rob Roman.

HPD spokeswoman Barbara Flynn said the agency is trying to sell the building but that the taxes and outstanding mortgage payment are more than the building is worth.

"He hasn't been paying his mortgage and the bank [Bank of Baroda] holding the mortgage is in court saying they want to be paid before the property tax is satisfied."

Despite his elegant lifestyle - he's traveled twice to India with Bill Clinton and he and his wife helped raise $500,000 for Hillary Clinton's Senate race - Chatwal says he's bankrupt.

$100 million in debt

In U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan last year, Chatwal was discharged as bankrupt after a six-year case involving debts of more than $100 million, including more than $30 million in taxes owed to the IRS, the city, several states and $22 million owed three banks owned by the government of India.

During his last visit to India with Clinton, in May 2001, Chatwal was arrested by authorities there and charged with defrauding the New York City branch of the Bank of India out of $9 million he borrowed in 1994. He posted bail equivalent to $32,000, then fled India, boarding a flight to Vienna despite an attempt by authorities to detain him.

In a separate 1996 case, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. charged Chatwal with obtaining improper loans from the First New York Bank for Business, causing the bank to lose more than $25 million. Chatwal, who was a director of the bank, arranged more than $14 million in loans to himself and his businesses, often with no collateral, said the FDIC. He didn't repay the loans and the bank failed.

In testimony in that case, Chatwal said his total net worth was $2,600, including $100 in cash.

In a settlement two years ago, Chatwal agreed to pay the government $125,000 and the FDIC agreed to drop its claims that he defrauded the bank and made false statements to hide his assets. The FDIC's bank insurance fund absorbed $13.9 million of the loss attributed to Chatwal's actions.

In the bankruptcy case, Chatwal testified he was once personally worth $46 million, and a federal judge noted that he had filed separate bankruptcy cases for all 56 of his restaurants, including the Bombay Palace on 52nd St. just west of Fifth Ave., and six of his hotels.

Chatwal said he had no idea what happened to all the money.

Man about town

The penthouse, he said, was bought by his wife, Pardaman, in 1987 with a $1.8 million loan from the bank where he served as a director. Now it's not in her name but rather is owned by a real estate company owned by his brother Iqbal, he said.

Pardaman Chatwal has an "oral lease" on the apartment with Iqbal Chatwal and pays his company $5,000 a month rent, Chatwal testified. He, personally, owns nothing, he said.

Only one item was left out of the bankruptcy proceeding, the building at 1772 Second Ave. He is the owner of record.

It is mystifying how he can maintain his lifestyle - he is an elegantly dressed man, a Sikh, who wears a crimson turban - with no assets.

Equally mystifying is how his sons - both of whom also have apartments - maintain their lifestyles and how they got their money and their holdings.

His eldest son, Vikram, 32, is a playboy who somehow acquired the financing to open the Time Hotel at 249 W. 49th St. and the Majestic Hotel on W. 55th St.

Vikram, who did not respond to telephone calls, drives an Aston Martin sports car, pals around with Sean (Puff Daddy) Combs, hotel heiress Nicky Hilton, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and other celebrities. He has run up bar tabs of more than $10,000, according to some accounts, and in a recent interview in The New York Observer said variously that he wants to be an actor and the "first Sikh billionaire."

Vivek Chatwal, who declined comment, is also in the family hotel and restaurant business, which has holdings in other states and abroad.

It is run out of a two-story building at 595 11th Ave. under the name Hampshire Hotels and Resorts. The lobby features black leather upholstered furniture and large back-lit photographs of company properties. The exterior features security cameras that cover the block and the private garage. That's where Sant Chatwal works and where he is nominally a "consultant." His business card has no title.

'Important businessman'

But in tracking Sant Chatwal with visits to properties in the midtown area, a reporter found that he is much more than a consultant, at least according to his employees.

At the Time Hotel, two employes said it belonged to "Mr. Sant Chatwal."

When asked how often Vikram Chatwal comes by, one employee said, "Only once in a while, Mr. Sant Chatwal, he's here all the time."

At the Bombay Palace restaurant, a bartender proudly said the eatery was "Mr. Sant Chatwal's restaurant."

"His first here in America," said the bartender. "This is where he made his money. He is an important businessman.

"He comes by, but he has many businesses, so he's not here all the time," the bartender continued.

At the Best Western Hotel, 234 W. 48th St., another Chatwal property, a clerk said the property is "owned by Sant Chatwal."

He's not here now, the clerk said, but maybe across the street at the Days Inn, another Chatwal property.

"Not here right now, maybe he'll come by later," said a desk clerk. "Try up at the Howard Johnson's."

The HoJo's, up Eighth Ave. at 51st St., is yet another Chatwal property, again one owned by Sant Chatwal, according to an employee.

"Not here right now," said the employee. "He may come by later."

Finally, at the 11th Ave. headquarters, a reporter asked whether Sant Chatwal was in.

"Yes, he's here," said a receptionist.

"Sorry," she said a moment later, "Mr. Chatwal only sees people by appointment."

[kattracks]

[texas booster]

Fraud bump.

Ever notice how many billionaire demoncrats claim poverty when the inevitable lawsuit comes up? Who knew! I am worth how much? I wouldda' never guessed.

As always, some da' pigs are more piggy than others.

[kcvl]

AN ARABIAN NIGHTS EXTRAVAGANZA

Most spectacular wedding reception in living memory
By LIQA KAMAL, C.S. PURI and JYOTIRMOY DATTA

Chatwal family brings a touch of Delhi durbar to New York’s Central Park

The family of the U.S-based restaurant and hotel baron Sant Singh Chatwal brought a touch of the pageantry of the Diwan-e-Khas of the Mughals of the 17th century and the Delhi Durbar of the British of the dawn of the 20th century to New York City of 2002 at the magnificent wedding reception of Chatwal’s second son, Vivek, with Supriya, daughter of Ravinder Singh and Manjinder Kaur of Delhi, at Tavern on the Green in Central Park on June 15.

More...

[kcvl]

The reception, described by many of its 1,300 guests as the most spectacular in living memory, was attended by some of the leading political and business figures of the United States and India, including former President Bill Clinton and his wife Senator Hillary Clinton. Among the guests from India was the former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Union Minister, Sharad Pawar.

Among other luminaries who attended were House Minority leader Richard Gephardt, senior New York Senator Charles Schumer, Congressman Anthony Weiner and Congresswomen Carolyn B. Maloney and Nita Lowey, as also the India-born steel billionaire Lakshmi Narayan Mittal, India-based billionaire industrial dynasties Adi and Parameshwar Godrej and Britain based S.P. Hinduja, and Subhash Chandra, head of Zee TV India.

Indeed, the guest list read like a Who’s Who of the Democratic Party, with one Republican exception however, that being Minnie the Haathi. Minnie is the elephant that greeted the new couple on their arrival at the reception.

[kcvl]

The Chatwal family then made their way into the Crystal Room with its three sides of glass, crystal chandeliers and painted ceiling. The guest started arriving at 6:45 pm.and lined up to greet the bride and groom and the Chatwal family. Many of the guests were dressed in breathtaking Indian designer wear.

The emcee of the evening was no less than Stephen Solarz, who had represented the 13th District of New York in the House of Representatives from 1975 to 1993, who voted against the Smith Amendment of 1990 which sought to place a cap on immigration, and who had always remained a friend of India and Indian Americans.

While Sant Singh Chatwal (a native of Punjab and a former Indian Air Force pilot, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1975) and his wife had been the guests of the Clintons at the White House, the colorful hospitality baron himself, and his first son, Vikram, had made headlines when they accompanied the former President on his trip to India following the Gujarat earthquake. During his presidency, Clinton had on occasions dined at the four-star Bombay Palace restaurant in Washington, D.C.

Unlike the dashing Vikram, who is, as in the title of the novel by his namesake, Vikram Seth, “A Suitable Boy,” and remains a bachelor, the tradition-loving Vivek had accepted without demur the preference of his parents for a traditional marriage to a bride of their choice from among the families in their inner circle in India.

Chatwal told the guests that he took some pride in the fact that Vivek, though born and raised in the U.S., had so taken his family’s Indian traditions to heart that he had first set his eyes on his bride only half an hour before the ring ceremony in India on Feb. 12 at the Oberoi hotel in New Delhi. “It was more like a royal levee at some European or Indian court in former times, rather than just a dinner reception” said a guest. But the spirit of revelry and mirth was as much in evidence as ceremony and ritual. The music, which included both Western and Bhangra dance tunes, inspired Senator Clinton herself to take a few turns with Daman Chatwal.

The food was the pick of the cuisine of many lands. There were a Mediterranean Station and a Carving Station, along with a Seafood Bar and Authentic Japanese Sushi Bar located at strategic points. For entrée, the guests had a choice of a vegetarian and non-vegetarian menu. The wedding cake was a five-tiered lemon and poppyseed extravaganza, filled with fresh raspberries and mousse, the entire edifice being coated with white butter cream icing.

Needless to say, there was no drought in the horizon of drinks, both hard and soft. The invitation package wisely ended with these words: “To ensure that all guests have a safe journey home, we encourage everyone to act responsibly. If you, or any member of your party are unable to drive, please alert the host and we will arrange your transportation.” (Reported by Kamal and Puri; written by Datta)

[Claire Voyant]

Typical Democrat HYPOCRITE!!!!! Democrats want to raise YOUR TAXES, but they DON'T PAY THEIR TAXES!!!!

Keep this bumped all day.

[kcvl]

PHOTO LEFT, from right, restaurant and hotel baron Sant Singh Chatwal, bride Supriya, groom Vivek, Sant Singh’s wife Daman Chatwal and their elder son Vikram as in the official family photo in the invitation to the New York reception. PHOTO RIGHT, former United States president Bill Clinton speaking at the wedding reception of Vivek and Supriya at Tavern on the Green in Central Park, New York, on June 15. From left, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Senator Hillary Clinton, Vikram, Vivek, Supriya, Daman and Sant Singh Chatwal at the venue. (Photo: Mohammad Jaffer/Snaps India)

[kcvl]

Indian Express
Friday, November 17, 2000

Clinton Donor Sant Singh Chatwal's Money Deals Under Scrutiny
by Chidanand Rajghatta


Washington, November 16: An Indian businessman who is said to have funneled $ 210,000 to Hillary Clinton's New York Senate campaign has come under scrutiny for his suspect financial dealings, including milking American and Indian banks of millions of dollars.

Sant Singh Chatwal, a former Indian Air Force pilot who migrated to the United States in the 1980s and started the Bombay Palace chain of restaurants, channeled the soft money contributions through 14 different business despite having declared bankruptcy in several cases, The New York Daily News reported in a series of stories this week.

Chatwal also owed the Internal Revenue Service and other state authorities $30 million in taxes, the paper said.

Chatwal's political contributions did not go unrecognised. He accompanied the Clintons on their visit to India in March this year and was twice theirguest at White House dinners, including at the official banquet for Prime Minister Vajpayee.

Moreover, the Clintons attended a fundraiser at Chatwal's Manhattan residence some weeks back raising some $500,000.

Although Chatwal's name does not appear anywhere in Hillary's federal election disclosures, a number of his businesses do, the Daily News said. The paper traced the businesses to Chatwal through state corporation records, news clips and business databases.

They show that on September 21, at least 14 of Chatwal's partnerships and corporations made donations ranging from $9,000 to $25,000 each. All of it was so-called soft money, unregulated contributions to a Democratic Party committee set up for the New York Senate race.

Besides owning the Bombay Palace chain of restaurants, the Chatwal family also controls the Hampshire Hotel and Resorts chain and is part owner of the News India-Times newspaper and television companies in New York. The family recently acquired the Days Inn and Howard Johnson, two budget hotels near the pricey Times Square in Manhattan. The Hampshire Hotel chain also runs two Best Western hotels, the Hampshire Hotel Suites, and the Quality Hotel, all in Midtown Manhattan.

Most of the properties are in the name of Chatwal's son Vikram and his wife Pardaman. Federal Election Commission filings show several modest contributions of $1,000 to $2,000 to Hillary Clinton and her fellow New York Senator Charles Schumer.

Yet, Chatwal had defaulted on loans from banks for several years by filing for bankruptcy protection and covering his assets through clever transfers, the reports said. One federal judge noted during a hearing in July 1996 that Chatwal had filed separate bankruptcy cases for all 56 of his restaurants and six of his nine hotels.

According to Indian Embassy officials, Chatwal also stiffed Indian banks of several millions of dollars and escaped by declaring bankruptcy. Feelings against him run so high that many high officials of the Embassy avoid eating out or catering from the Bombay Palace restaurants.

One official said the Embassy was surprised and disturbed by the Chatwals closeness to Clintons, but he was not aware if the White House had been alerted to the hotelier's background.

Shady political contributions are not unusual in the American political system where businesses and individuals often try and curry favours with thepowers that be. The background of the contributors is hard to scrutinise immediately, but it is not unusual for recipients to return the money when they learn of the donors' antecedents.

The Clintons, by virtue of being current occupants of the White House, have been particularly vulnerable to suspect contributions, and therefore, attacks from their political opponents.

In this case, Rick Lazio, the Republican candidate who lost to Hillary Clinton in the Ne York Senate election, called on the First Lady to turn over to the U.S. Treasury all "ill-gotten" soft money she accepted from a deadbeat businessman.

"Mr Chatwal owed money to the U.S. taxpayers and instead gave it to Mrs Clinton's campaign," Lazio spokesperson Michael Marr was quoted as saying. "Given Mrs. Clinton's use of the Lincoln Bedroom and Camp David to raise money, perhaps this latest revelation isn't surprising, but it's still wrong."

President Clinton is away in Vietnam and Hillary Clinton has gone to Israel for the funeral of Leah Rabin. There was no word from the Clinton camp about the latest campaign scandal.

The Daily News, quoting U.S. court records, reported that in early 1996, Chatwal was arrested in India, held in a jail in Mumbai and charged with bank fraud by the Central Bureau of Investigation. But an attorney who represented the Indian banks said Chatwal basically outmaneuvered the Indian authorities. At one time, he claimed in court to have only $2,600 to his name and no checking account.

In 1996, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. went to the bankruptcy court and accused Chatwal of obtaining improper loans from the failed First New York Bank for Business, causing it to lose more than $25 million. Chatwal, a bank director, arranged more than $14 million in loans to himself and his businesses, often with no collateral, then failed to repay most of the loans on time, the paper reported the FDIC as saying in court documents. Chatwal's bad loans to himself alone cost the bank more than $12 million, according to the FDIC.

The Daily News said FDIC is still trying to recover a fraction of the loans. "I can't say how much at this point," the paper quoted FDIC spokesperson David Barr as saying. "We're getting close to having a final settlement amount ready. The court is looking at it."

However, the paper said it seemed unlikely the FDIC would be able to recover even one dime.

"The FDIC is at the mercy of Manhattan's federal bankruptcy court -- where banks, the IRS, the state, the city and dozens upon dozens of creditors have been begging for five years to recoup Chatwal debts estimated at more than $100 million. In 1998 a court-appointed trustee found that legally, Chatwalhad no property available for distribution -- even as he entertained dignitaries and politicians at his hotels and Bombay Palace restaurants," the paper said.

Copyright 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) LTD.

[kcvl]

Hillary took NRI’s tainted fund: Lazio

Washington, Nov. 12: After losing the Senate race to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Republican Rick Lazio has questioned the origins of funds for her campaign and the credentials of an Indian who was a major contributor.

After a New York daily reported the receipt of millions of dollars soft money from a New York-based Indian American businessman, Sant Singh Chatwal, Lazio called upon Hillary to hand over the funds to the US Treasury.

Chatwal owed money to the US tax payers and instead gave it to Hillary’s campaign, a spokesman for Lazio, Michael Marr said. The daily also listed several financial irregularities committed by the businessman.

“Given Ms Clinton’s misuse of Lincoln’s bedroom and Camp David to raise funds, the latest revelation is not surprising, but it is still wrong. It would be appropriate for Ms Clinton to hand over the funds to the Federal Treasury,’’ Marr said.

The funds came a week before Hillary and Lazio agreed to stop using soft money for TV advertisements, according to the New York -based daily, The Daily News.

The report said that in addition to his own contributions, Chatwal has been a driving force behind large sums of money in donations from Indian Americans for Hillary campaign since early this year.

The newspaper also reported as to how his contributions to her election funds had its perquisites. Chatwal accompanied President Clinton and Chelsea on their trip to India in March. He was a guest at a White House State dinner for King Mohammed of Morocco in June, and played host to a private party with the Clintons at his Manhattan penthouse in September.

Chatwal a former aircraft carrier fighter pilot for the Indian defence forces, is a US citizen now and has several New Yyork hotels.

Half of all Indians pay bribes

Most Indians say they have got used to corruption

Nearly half of all Indians using government services pay bribes to get what they need.

This was revealed by an Indian anti-corruption watchdog, the Central Vigilance Commission.

The survey carried out by the independent Centre for Media Studies showed that government departments in the northern city of Lucknow and the southern city of Hyderabad were the most corrupt.

More than 2,000 visitors to government offices were interviewed in five cities across the country - New Delhi, Lucknow, Madras, Hyderabad and Pune.

Most of the people surveyed said the most corrupt departments were those that dealt with driving licences and civil supplies.

A member of the survey team told the BBC that the respondents were given a brief questionnaire and asked to fill it out on the spot.

Widespread

In Lucknow and Hyderabad, about 60% of those interviewed said they had handed out bribes as against 50% in Pune and 38% in Madras.

A third of those surveyed said they used influence to get the service they required.

The business community and self-employed people topped the list of those who admitted paying a bribe in exchange for a service.

But several government employees said they had also paid up.

Most people blamed politicians for the widespread corruption in India and said it was made possible by a network of middlemen who acted as conduits between the public and administrators.

But the survey team said most people had got used to corruption and did not talk about it

The government departments covered by the survey included utilities such as electricity and telephone services, as well as civil supplies, driving licence and urban development offices.

[kcvl]

Restaurateur Chatwal eludes authorities again
S Pasha

Sant Singh Chatwal, the famed restaurateur and major political contributor to the Clintons, has left India, where he has been indicted on charges of alleged bank fraud.

Wire reports said New York-based Chatwal flew out of Bombay on Monday night. He took off soon after a 10-day court ban on his leaving the country ended.

In December, the Central Bureau of Investigation charged Chatwal with defrauding the New York branch of the state-run Bank of India of $ 9 million in 1994. He was accused of failing to repay a loan.

This is not the first charge leveled against the former Indian Air Force pilot, who migrated to the United States in the 1980s and started the Bombay Palace chain of restaurants.

He is said to have funneled $ 210,000 to Hillary Clinton's New York Senate campaign through 14 businesses, despite having declared bankruptcy in several cases. It is also alleged he owes the Internal Revenue Service and other state authorities $ 30 million in taxes.

Despite these charges, Chatwal has kept some high-powered friends close at hand -- notably the Clintons.

He came to India for Clinton's April visit, to raise funds for earthquake victims in Gujarat. He tagged along with the Clintons on their first visit to India in March 2000 and was twice their guest at White House dinners, including the banquet for Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Clintons returned the favor, attending a $ 500,000 fundraiser at Chatwal's Manhattan residence.

In 1996, Chatwal was arrested in India, and charged with bank fraud by the CBI. But he claimed in court to have only $ 2,600 in his name and no checking account.

In 1996, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp accused Chatwal of obtaining improper loans from the now-defunct First New York Bank for Business, causing it to lose more than $ 25 million. According to court documents, Chatwal, a bank director, arranged more than $ 14 million in loans to himself and his businesses, often with no collateral, and then failed to repay most loans on time.

Chatwal appeared in a Bombay court last month, where the authorities registered charges against him. He was freed after paying a $ 32,610 bond.

The court ordered him to appear when his case came up for hearing, but it rejected imposing travel restrictions. The CBI appealed that decision to the high court, and Chatwal was barred from leaving for 10 days, to allow the appeal.

The ban ran out on Monday. The high court was to hear the CBI appeal on Wednesday. The CBI sent a letter to the immigration authorities in Bombay asking them to stop Chatwal from leaving, a CBI official said. Chatwal was nevertheless allowed to leave.

Besides owning the Bombay Palace chain of restaurants, the Chatwals also control the Hampshire Hotel and Resorts chain.

[kcvl]

[kcvl]

PHOTO 1, former president of the United States Bill Clinton, center, speaking at the wedding reception of Vivek Chatwal, son of Daman and Sant Singh Chatwal, at Tavern on the Green in Central Park on June 15. From left, U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner, former chief minister of Maharashtra Sharad Pawar, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, former Rep. Stephen Solarz, (partly hidden) Senator Hillary Clinton, Chatwal’s first son Vikram, Chatwal’s second son bridegroom Vivek, the bride Supriya, Chatwal’s wife Daman, Sant Singh Chatwal and House Minority Leader Congressman Richard Gephardt.

PHOTO 2, from left, Parameshwar Godrej, wife of industrialist Adi Godrej, Clinton, Pawar, steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal and Indian model Queene Dhodi.

PHOTO 3, Parameshwar Godrej, left, with Daman Chatwal.

PHOTO 4, Clinton, center, holding hands with Rita Jaitly and Parameshwar Godrej while Vikram, right, looks on.

PHOTO 5, from left, Clinton, Vikram, Vivek, Supriya, Daman and Sant Singh Chatwal. (Photos: Mohammad Jaffer/Snaps India)

[kcvl]

Sikh community hosts dinner in honor of Sen. Schumer
By C.S. PURI

The Sikh Organization of New York and friends of Schumer hosted a dinner in honor of Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) on Long Island on Sept. 22. The event was attended by prominent members of the community, including hotelier Sant Chatwal, businessman P.S. Sabharwal, office bearers of a local gurdwara and several others.

At the event, which was held at the residence of T.J. Bhindra, president of the Sikh Organization of New York in Brookville, Chatwal, Sabharwal and Bhindra spoke about the extraordinary achievements of Indian immigrants in the United States.

The senator, in his brief speech, praised the Indian American and the Sikh American community, among whom he said he counted many personal friends. He assured them of his personal help and attention whenever a need arises in the future.

[flying Elvis]

Oh, I thought this was about the Clinton's dog, Buddy. It all makes sense now. I was wondering how Buddy managed to run up a tax bill, however, I wouldn't put it past the dems to put a tax on animals.

[kcvl]

Dancing with immigrants

By: Rehan Ansari
August 1,2002

---

In one day I encountered the very rich desis and the very helpless ones in New York without my seeking either of them. It just happened and now I am wondering what is the connection I felt between the two groups.

It’s an idea that is elusive since it’s hard to figure out if the rich have anything to do with the poor. First the fun part, watching the rich. I found myself at the wedding of Sant Chatwal’s son. Mr Chatwal owns hotels upon hotels. Several on Times Square and I believe many more all over the US Pamela Godridge was a guest, so was Sharad Pawar.

As was Subhash Chandra of Zee. So were elephants and dancing horses. The animals were flown in from the Oklahoma Circus. Congressman Richard Gephardt, the House Democratic Leader, Senator Hillary Clinton and President Clinton were there, as Mr Chatwal is a contributor to the Democratic party. The party was at the Tavern-on-the-Green in Central Park. This is a glass palace in the middle of the park, the park around which live the richest people in the world. One of the joys of living in New York City is that in certain parts of town, say the upper West Side, you can be on street level with billionaires.

Whenever I walk in that part of the park, 67th Street and Central Park West, I see white faces through the glass walls of the Tavern-on-the-Green. This occasion at the Tavern was more joyful than normal: I could see Sardarjis bhangraoing to Daler Mehndi and the soundtrack of Monsoon Wedding. The idea of the rich, the picture in your head, is better than the sight sometimes. Frankly the Sardarjis, the Chatwal extended family, were the only attractive desis in the crowd. Dancing sardaris in all shapes and sizes looked better than the rest. Any one of the women could have been wearing any one else’s jewellry, or sari for that matter, it was all the same. The level of fitness was low, men with paunches, heavy jowls and unimaginative haircuts.

These days it is all about the body. The gora rich know it and look it and I was disheartened our very own were not up to date. Gephardt spoke, Hillary spoke. Clinton was the show. He is tall, has a huge face, big white man. And he is all hip-hop. Upon entering the party he immediately moved to the stage area where dancers had finished performing and posed with them, three women to each side of him, his arms all embracing. What a showman! I had crashed the party because a friend was working there.

It was all fun and games until I ran into a blue-eyed, dark-haired man at the bar who introduced himself as Federal Bureau of Investigation agent named Ayub. What stood before me was one half of my afternoon of research. I had been reading Urdu newspapers, there are eight weeklies that come out of the New York region, that are full of news of FBI and INS raids on Pakistani communities in Queens and Brooklyn. I translated an excerpt, a story from the Pakistan Post of July 31, 2002. Raids are occurring in Brooklyn at a terrifying rate.

Yesterday at 7 am the FBI raided the apartment of Colonel Mohammed Latif in a building at Avenue K and Street 13. They searched the house without a warrant. At that point most people in the house were asleep. When Latif opened the door, 6 men barged in without identifying themselves. They went into the living room picked up a displayed photograph and claimed that it matched who they were looking for. They started asking questions. Colonel Latif tried to calm them down by saying that the photograph in question was of their son who, at that time, was at work. Colonel Latif was asked to produce identification. Other men took the lady to her bedroom and demanded identification papers. They checked the bathrooms as well. Before leaving they produced a picture of a “Mr Khan,” and asked questions about him.

A few days before the raid at Colonel Latif’s the police raided the same building and without a warrant raided several apartments. They woke people up, asked about other residents in the building on the pretext of inquiring about a certain “Zafar Mehmood.” The same day at building number 1360 on Ocean Avenue, between H and I, the police arrested a man for holding two identities.

On 86 Street officials arrested three men for illegal status. When a legal resident living there protested at the officials entering the house without a warrant the authorities bid him to be patient. The next day they came with a warrant for him and arrested him. In another incident immigration officials arrested the proprietor of Honey Locksmith on charges of immigrating under a false name. They confiscated the papers of his American citizen brother and family. The younger men of the household protested and told the officials to get out since they had no warrant.

The officials came back a few days later and questioned the family about how they became legal. At this point the head of the family said that he would call 911 (the police emergency number) and say that people have barged into his house and are stealing his legal documents. At that moment the officials conferred together and then gave them back their documents. American officials are continuing their campaign against US-based Pakistanis, citizens of a country that is allied in the war against terrorism. More than 1700 Pakistanis have been detained in this country on charges of illegal residence. Many have been deported.

Of those deported many have families with young children who are still here and helpless. Not one Pakistani arrested has been charged with terrorism.

Back at Tavern-on-the-Green. Clinton began his talk by saying, “We are all immigrants.” There was audible relief in the crowd. Clinton had done it again, knowing exactly what to say to whom. So the rich are nervous as well.

[kcvl]

Clinton Dines With Bizman
In Fraud Case
By RALPH R. ORTEGA
Daily News Staff Writer

Quote:
“Former President Bill Clinton rubbed elbows with a man wanted on fraud charges in India during a posh fund-raiser held at a ritzy Wall St. hotel last night.”

“Clinton denied knowing anything about the charges against Sant Singh Chatwal”
“Chatwal accompanied Clinton on an earthquake relief tour of India in April, during which Indian newspapers reported that authorities were seeking him. He also escorted Clinton and daughter Chelsea on a state visit to India in March 2000.”
“Chatwal, “ “ was one of the biggest soft-money contributors to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign last fall. He has been linked to at least $210,000 in contributions.”
“The elder Chatwal was accused of fleeing to Vienna in April after Bill Clinton's tour.”
“He is saddled with titanic debts that include back taxes and loans owed to failed banks in the U.S., along with a forced bankruptcy in 1995.”
“Clinton, “ “ he thanked those who supported his wife's Senate campaign.”
"A lot of you helped my wife become a New York senator," he said”. “I'm grateful for that."

[kcvl]

Clinton apologist now lobbies for Islamabad

Bachelor boy

Bridge across the world

[Claire Voyant]

Is there ONE decent Democrat in New York...just ONE?? Do they not care about their corrupted Senators??? What a sick state if they can't see just how BAD Hillary and Chuck are.

[kcvl]

STATE OF NEW YORK

TAX APPEALS TRIBUNAL

________________________________________________ for Redetermination of a Deficiency or for Refund of New : York State and New York City Personal Income Taxes under Article 22 of the Tax Law and the New York City : Administrative Code for the Period July 1, 1992 through December 31, 1992. :

In or about August 1990, petitioner Harshad Shah entered into negotiations with Bombay, primarily through its sole shareholder, one Sant S. Chatwal, for the purchase of seven of Bombay's restaurants including the three entities in question here. After review of the financial information for the seven restaurants, Mr. Shah believed the same to be viable profitable entities. The negotiations culminated in or about September 1990 with Mr. Shah's agreement to purchase the seven restaurants. The three corporate entities at issue herein, 211, 1655 and OSS, were all formed in or about October 1990, and Mr. Shah was the sole shareholder and officeholder of all three entities.

More...

[kcvl]

Vikram Chatwal

NATIONAL JEWISH OUTREACH PROGRAM
Rabbi Buchwald’s Vision
Makes Life Easier for Everyone

Sant Singh Chatwal who operates a string of hotels in the Times Square vicinity.

It was not surprising that at the seventh annual NJOP dinner at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria, Chatwal was one of the honored guests. Unfortunately, he had to fly back India where the earthquake took its toll on his family – his mother was in a coma.

His son, Vikram Chatwal, accepted in behalf of his father and noted that it’s not surprising that his father should be recognized by NJOP.