News Analysis India

Tag: hawala

  • NIA busts multi-state hawala network funding PFI terror activities; five arrested

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The NIA on Tuesday claimed to have busted a multi-state hawala network funding the Popular Front of India’s terror activities with the arrest of five members of the banned outfit in Karnataka and Kerala.

    The agency said despite the ban imposed on it on September 27 last year, PFI leaders and members continued to propagate the ideology of violent extremism and were also arranging arms and ammunition to commit crimes.

    “NIA teams have been carrying out extensive searches in Kasargod (Kerala) and Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka, since Sunday. Searches were conducted at eight locations leading to the seizure of multiple digital devices and incriminating documents containing details of transactions running into several crores of rupees,” a spokesperson of the agency said.

    The official said Popular Front of India (PFI) members Mahammad Sinan, Sarfraz Nawaz, Iqbal and Abdul Rafeek M of Karnataka and Abid K M of Kerala have been arrested.

    The arrest followed tracing and tracking of funds being moved by the PFI across the country, especially in Kerala, Karnataka and Bihar, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) spokesperson said, adding that the agency’s investigations into the Phulwarisharif PFI case of Bihar have led to the unearthing of a large network of hawala operatives in south India.

    “A PFI funding-by-hawala module operating out of Bihar and Karnataka with roots in the UAE has been busted with the arrests of the five operatives,” the official said.

    “PFI cadres in Phulwarisharif and Motihari had vowed to continue PFI activities in a clandestine manner in Bihar and had also arranged a firearm and ammunition recently to eliminate a youth of a particular community in Bihar’s East Champaran district. Three operatives of the module had been arrested on February 5,” the spokesperson said.

    The official said people arrested from Karnataka and Kerala have been found to be actively involved in PFI’s criminal conspiracy to move and channelise illicit funds procured from outside India for distribution among leaders and members of the banned group.

    Earlier, seven accused persons had been arrested when they had gathered in the Phulwarisharif area of Bihar’s Patna in July last year for training and to carry out acts of terror and violence, the spokesperson said.

    Pursuing leads since July last year, the official said the NIA team found that despite the ban on its activities in September last year, the PFI continued to propagate the ideology of violent extremism and were also arranging arms and ammunition to commit crimes.

    Following the leads, the official said, the NIA investigators reached Nawaz and Sinan, who had been found making deposits in the bank accounts of the accused and suspects in the PFI case.

    “Dogged pursuit of the money trail and connecting the dots, the NIA managed to unravel the international conspiracy and linkages to the funds while investigating Iqbal and other associates who had collected illegally generated funds from Dubai and Abu Dhabi and handed them over to Sinan, Nawaz, Rafeek and Abid in India,” the spokesperson said.

    “Investigations have shown that Sarfaraz, Sinan and Rafeek deposited this money in different bank accounts of the accused and the suspects,” the official said.

    The NIA said further investigations are on track to trace and choke international as well domestic illicit funding channels of the PFI.

    The five accused will be produced in the NIA Special Court Patna, the spokesperson said.

    NEW DELHI: The NIA on Tuesday claimed to have busted a multi-state hawala network funding the Popular Front of India’s terror activities with the arrest of five members of the banned outfit in Karnataka and Kerala.

    The agency said despite the ban imposed on it on September 27 last year, PFI leaders and members continued to propagate the ideology of violent extremism and were also arranging arms and ammunition to commit crimes.

    “NIA teams have been carrying out extensive searches in Kasargod (Kerala) and Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka, since Sunday. Searches were conducted at eight locations leading to the seizure of multiple digital devices and incriminating documents containing details of transactions running into several crores of rupees,” a spokesperson of the agency said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The official said Popular Front of India (PFI) members Mahammad Sinan, Sarfraz Nawaz, Iqbal and Abdul Rafeek M of Karnataka and Abid K M of Kerala have been arrested.

    The arrest followed tracing and tracking of funds being moved by the PFI across the country, especially in Kerala, Karnataka and Bihar, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) spokesperson said, adding that the agency’s investigations into the Phulwarisharif PFI case of Bihar have led to the unearthing of a large network of hawala operatives in south India.

    “A PFI funding-by-hawala module operating out of Bihar and Karnataka with roots in the UAE has been busted with the arrests of the five operatives,” the official said.

    “PFI cadres in Phulwarisharif and Motihari had vowed to continue PFI activities in a clandestine manner in Bihar and had also arranged a firearm and ammunition recently to eliminate a youth of a particular community in Bihar’s East Champaran district. Three operatives of the module had been arrested on February 5,” the spokesperson said.

    The official said people arrested from Karnataka and Kerala have been found to be actively involved in PFI’s criminal conspiracy to move and channelise illicit funds procured from outside India for distribution among leaders and members of the banned group.

    Earlier, seven accused persons had been arrested when they had gathered in the Phulwarisharif area of Bihar’s Patna in July last year for training and to carry out acts of terror and violence, the spokesperson said.

    Pursuing leads since July last year, the official said the NIA team found that despite the ban on its activities in September last year, the PFI continued to propagate the ideology of violent extremism and were also arranging arms and ammunition to commit crimes.

    Following the leads, the official said, the NIA investigators reached Nawaz and Sinan, who had been found making deposits in the bank accounts of the accused and suspects in the PFI case.

    “Dogged pursuit of the money trail and connecting the dots, the NIA managed to unravel the international conspiracy and linkages to the funds while investigating Iqbal and other associates who had collected illegally generated funds from Dubai and Abu Dhabi and handed them over to Sinan, Nawaz, Rafeek and Abid in India,” the spokesperson said.

    “Investigations have shown that Sarfaraz, Sinan and Rafeek deposited this money in different bank accounts of the accused and the suspects,” the official said.

    The NIA said further investigations are on track to trace and choke international as well domestic illicit funding channels of the PFI.

    The five accused will be produced in the NIA Special Court Patna, the spokesperson said.

  • From where has the money come? asks Gujarat minister on AAP ‘deal’

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: The report carried by this paper on AAP’s suspected hawala scandal is true, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi said on Saturday.“Black money was sent by AAP to Gujarat through hawala & angadia from Delhi, Punjab and other means. This money has been caught in Bardoli, Ahmedabad, and other places. Their (AAP) Bardoli candidate has accepted that this money came from Delhi AAP’s office,” Sanghvi said.

    “He received the cash through an angadia. From where has this money come? This question should be asked to AAP leaders,” Sanghavi said. A statement sent to this newspaper by AAP spokesman Pritam Singh said: “AAP has nothing to do with any such money. The AAP candidate has not given any such statement. It is an attempt by BJP to tarnish the AAP image due to the growing graph of the party in the state. The BJP has become very desperate and will resort to similar dirty tricks in the next one month.”

    However, this newspaper stood by its story and took AAP candidate Rajendra Solanki’s statement given to the police on October 17. In the statement, he accepted in writing: “He (Saurabh) said that the money was received by him from an angadia (hawala operator). The money was meant for the expenses of the party event.”

    Police sources said the Anti-Terrorism Squad, the Income Tax and the state’s Special Operation Group are investigating the individuals in various cities of Gujarat in which transactions worth crores of rupees have reportedly surfaced. An official said: “We have detected some more cases of hawala through angadia in Ahmedabad as well. The investigation is going on, he added.

    “So far we have come to know that Saini, a Punjab resident, and another person, Rudra Pratap, a resident of Bihar, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, a person named Kumar from Haryana, and Sehjad from Delhi have been interrogated in connection with hawala links,” he said.

    AHMEDABAD: The report carried by this paper on AAP’s suspected hawala scandal is true, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi said on Saturday.“Black money was sent by AAP to Gujarat through hawala & angadia from Delhi, Punjab and other means. This money has been caught in Bardoli, Ahmedabad, and other places. Their (AAP) Bardoli candidate has accepted that this money came from Delhi AAP’s office,” Sanghvi said.

    “He received the cash through an angadia. From where has this money come? This question should be asked to AAP leaders,” Sanghavi said. A statement sent to this newspaper by AAP spokesman Pritam Singh said: “AAP has nothing to do with any such money. The AAP candidate has not given any such statement. It is an attempt by BJP to tarnish the AAP image due to the growing graph of the party in the state. The BJP has become very desperate and will resort to similar dirty tricks in the next one month.”

    However, this newspaper stood by its story and took AAP candidate Rajendra Solanki’s statement given to the police on October 17. In the statement, he accepted in writing: “He (Saurabh) said that the money was received by him from an angadia (hawala operator). The money was meant for the expenses of the party event.”

    Police sources said the Anti-Terrorism Squad, the Income Tax and the state’s Special Operation Group are investigating the individuals in various cities of Gujarat in which transactions worth crores of rupees have reportedly surfaced. An official said: “We have detected some more cases of hawala through angadia in Ahmedabad as well. The investigation is going on, he added.

    “So far we have come to know that Saini, a Punjab resident, and another person, Rudra Pratap, a resident of Bihar, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, a person named Kumar from Haryana, and Sehjad from Delhi have been interrogated in connection with hawala links,” he said.

  • AAP disowns hawala money, documents tell another story

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD:  The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday denied that the Rs 20-lakh cash seized by the Gujarat police belonged to it.AAP candidate from Bardoli constituency, however, gave a statement to the Surat police that the money did belong to AAP.  This newspaper has a copy of the statement given by AAP candidate Rajendra Solanki to the police.

    In a statement sent to this paper by AAP spokesman Pritam Singh said: “AAP has nothing to do with any such money. The AAP candidate has not given any such statement. It is an attempt by BJP to tarnish AAP image due to the growing graph of AAP in Gujarat. BJP has become very desperate and will resort to similar dirty tricks in the next one month.”

    The acceptance of the policeAAP spokesperson’s statement that their candidate has not said that the money belonged to AAP is disproved by the statement of the party’s Bardoli candidate. In a statement given to the Surat rural police in Gujarati, AAP candidate Rajendra Solanki said “amo Arajdar/ fariyadi bardoli vidhansbhana umedvar tarike jaher thayel hoi Party tarf thi party na prchar prasar maate bardoli khaate saurabh prasra ne kamgiri sopvama aavel che, jethi teo paarti na prchar prasar tatha menejment nu kam kaaj kare che e rite ame temne olkhie che.”

    This translates to: “I, petitioner/complainant, has been declared as a candidate for the Bardoli Assembly and the party has appointed Saurabh Parashar at Bardoli to carry out the party’s publicity and management work. That’s how I know him…” Solanki further said: “Saurabh no maara mobail par fon aavel ke mere par hamla hua hai, meri gadi ka kanch tut gaya hai,meri gadi ka kaanch tod ke paise ki chori ho gai hai, tethi hu banav banel bardoli polis stesan khaate pahonchi gayel hato tyare amo e saurbh bhai ne puchel ke shu banav banel hato tyare temna haath ma kaala color ni beg hati ane te batavi emno e janavel ke aa beg tena gaadi maathi ajanya ismo chori kari nasi gayel hata ane te beg aadil naam na isme chor no picho kari beg paachi laavel hata tevu janavel ane aa rupiya teo aangdiya pedhi maathi laavel hata ane rupiya event na kahrch maate hata.”

    ALSO READ: Stench of hawala in Gujarat AAP cash theft

    This translates to: “I received a call from Saurabh on my mobile saying that there was an attack on me, my car’s glass was broken, they broke my car’s glass and stole money. So I went to the Bardoli police station. When I reached the place, I asked Saurabh bhai about the incident. He said he had a black bag that an unknown person stole from his car and escaped, and the bag was returned to him by a person named Adil by chasing the robber. Adil chased and brought the bag with the money back. He (Saurabh) said that the money was received by him from an angadia (hawala operator). The money was meant for the expenses of the party event.”

    The last line clearly says that Santosh collected money from an angadia (hawala operator) and it was to be used to meet the expenses of a party event.

    AHMEDABAD:  The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday denied that the Rs 20-lakh cash seized by the Gujarat police belonged to it.AAP candidate from Bardoli constituency, however, gave a statement to the Surat police that the money did belong to AAP.  This newspaper has a copy of the statement given by AAP candidate Rajendra Solanki to the police.

    In a statement sent to this paper by AAP spokesman Pritam Singh said: “AAP has nothing to do with any such money. The AAP candidate has not given any such statement. It is an attempt by BJP to tarnish AAP image due to the growing graph of AAP in Gujarat. BJP has become very desperate and will resort to similar dirty tricks in the next one month.”

    The acceptance of the policeAAP spokesperson’s statement that their candidate has not said that the money belonged to AAP is disproved by the statement of the party’s Bardoli candidate. In a statement given to the Surat rural police in Gujarati, AAP candidate Rajendra Solanki said “amo Arajdar/ fariyadi bardoli vidhansbhana umedvar tarike jaher thayel hoi Party tarf thi party na prchar prasar maate bardoli khaate saurabh prasra ne kamgiri sopvama aavel che, jethi teo paarti na prchar prasar tatha menejment nu kam kaaj kare che e rite ame temne olkhie che.”

    This translates to: “I, petitioner/complainant, has been declared as a candidate for the Bardoli Assembly and the party has appointed Saurabh Parashar at Bardoli to carry out the party’s publicity and management work. That’s how I know him…” Solanki further said: “Saurabh no maara mobail par fon aavel ke mere par hamla hua hai, meri gadi ka kanch tut gaya hai,meri gadi ka kaanch tod ke paise ki chori ho gai hai, tethi hu banav banel bardoli polis stesan khaate pahonchi gayel hato tyare amo e saurbh bhai ne puchel ke shu banav banel hato tyare temna haath ma kaala color ni beg hati ane te batavi emno e janavel ke aa beg tena gaadi maathi ajanya ismo chori kari nasi gayel hata ane te beg aadil naam na isme chor no picho kari beg paachi laavel hata tevu janavel ane aa rupiya teo aangdiya pedhi maathi laavel hata ane rupiya event na kahrch maate hata.”

    ALSO READ: Stench of hawala in Gujarat AAP cash theft

    This translates to: “I received a call from Saurabh on my mobile saying that there was an attack on me, my car’s glass was broken, they broke my car’s glass and stole money. So I went to the Bardoli police station. When I reached the place, I asked Saurabh bhai about the incident. He said he had a black bag that an unknown person stole from his car and escaped, and the bag was returned to him by a person named Adil by chasing the robber. Adil chased and brought the bag with the money back. He (Saurabh) said that the money was received by him from an angadia (hawala operator). The money was meant for the expenses of the party event.”

    The last line clearly says that Santosh collected money from an angadia (hawala operator) and it was to be used to meet the expenses of a party event.

  • Stench of hawala in Gujarat AAP cash theft

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: Investigations into the theft of Rs 20 lakh from the car of an AAP candidate in Gujarat a couple of weeks ago have led the police and income tax officials to the hawala transfer of at least Rs 10 crore by the party to the poll-bound state. The AAP candidate tied himself up in knots, first saying it was his money but then claiming it was sent by his party for elections.

    The police established the Punjab-Delhi-Ahmedabad money trail, with the cash transfer made by a person named R Jain. They said Jain transferred it to an Ahmedabad angadia (hawala operator) named Chhagan Jyanti, who in turn distributed it to angadias across Gujarat.

    The police found handwritten notes in code from some of the angadias. The I-T department is also seized on the matter since it involves black money. On October 12, Rs 20 lakh was stolen from the car of AAP’s Bardoli candidate Rajendra Solanki. His complaint said it belonged to him, but later he disowned it. He also built distance from the driver of his car that was broken into, Santosh Parashar. 

    “This money is not mine, it was sent from Delhi by AAP for election expenses. Parashar is not my driver. He is working for AAP. He was sent from Delhi,” Solanki said, making it sound fishier. “I was introduced to him and was told that he would be looking after the expenses of AAP,” he added. Parashar was to hand over the cash to another driver when it was stolen. 

    This is where the police started investigating the source of the money. A senior income tax officer said local candidates’ drivers and party workers pick up cash from angadias and deliver them to candidates and party office bearers.AAP Gujarat spokesperson Yogesh Jadwani said, “Angdiyas also operate in Delhi. It is not right to target only AAP.”

    Angadia network“We found cash coming to Gujarat through hawala, and delivered by a party to various places through angadias,” an I-T officer said

    AHMEDABAD: Investigations into the theft of Rs 20 lakh from the car of an AAP candidate in Gujarat a couple of weeks ago have led the police and income tax officials to the hawala transfer of at least Rs 10 crore by the party to the poll-bound state. The AAP candidate tied himself up in knots, first saying it was his money but then claiming it was sent by his party for elections.

    The police established the Punjab-Delhi-Ahmedabad money trail, with the cash transfer made by a person named R Jain. They said Jain transferred it to an Ahmedabad angadia (hawala operator) named Chhagan Jyanti, who in turn distributed it to angadias across Gujarat.

    The police found handwritten notes in code from some of the angadias. The I-T department is also seized on the matter since it involves black money. On October 12, Rs 20 lakh was stolen from the car of AAP’s Bardoli candidate Rajendra Solanki. His complaint said it belonged to him, but later he disowned it. He also built distance from the driver of his car that was broken into, Santosh Parashar. 

    “This money is not mine, it was sent from Delhi by AAP for election expenses. Parashar is not my driver. He is working for AAP. He was sent from Delhi,” Solanki said, making it sound fishier. “I was introduced to him and was told that he would be looking after the expenses of AAP,” he added. Parashar was to hand over the cash to another driver when it was stolen. 

    This is where the police started investigating the source of the money. A senior income tax officer said local candidates’ drivers and party workers pick up cash from angadias and deliver them to candidates and party office bearers.AAP Gujarat spokesperson Yogesh Jadwani said, “Angdiyas also operate in Delhi. It is not right to target only AAP.”

    Angadia network
    “We found cash coming to Gujarat through hawala, and delivered by a party to various places through angadias,” an I-T officer said

  • Power Games: Dump old ways, think out of the box to promote national interest, says PM

    Express News Service

    Heads of Missions MeetModi, Doval spell out a bold new approach

    Over a hundred heads of Indian missions from across the world gathered at Kevadia, the site of the giant Sardar Patel statue in the Narmada district of Gujarat, for an annual conference. The entire diplomatic corps from over a hundred countries was housed for three days in luxury tents pitched next to the statue of the Iron Man of India. The mission heads left Kevadia all fired up after listening to the stirring speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Kumar Doval. The PM exhorted the senior foreign service officers to dump old ways and think out of the box to promote national interest. He asked them not to be afraid of anyone as they represented a rapidly growing economy which is one of the largest in the world. He said India’s voice is heard the world over and its opinion is valued by all. Doval advised the officers not to stay stuck with old definitions and worldviews. He said times had changed and they should adapt to the changing times. Sessions were held at the conference on China, Russia, Africa, etc where the officers were brought up to speed with the government’s line on critical issues.

    Poll FundingCops unearth hawala cash trail in Gujarat 

    Gujarat Police and the income tax department have unearthed an extensive network of hawala traders which, according to them, is being used by a political party for the transfer of funds to meet expenses for the ensuing state elections. Sources said this particular political party was transferring huge amounts of money from Delhi to *aangadias* (hawala operators) in Gujarat who in turn facilitate its distribution across the state to the party’s cadres. Police in Gujarat and Delhi have also reportedly identified the source of funds and the main player involved in this operation in Delhi. Hawala operators have already been questioned both in Delhi and Gujarat by the police and the income tax department. According to sources, these operators have given graphic details of how black money was being transferred from Delhi by the said political party and how carriers were used in Gujarat to funnel funds to the party’s candidates and office-bearers. Sources said investigations in the case are complete and a full report is being prepared with accounts of witnesses and hawala operators involved. Arrests are likely to be made as soon as cops get the political signal. Keep watching this space to be the first to know the name of the political party involved in this hawala operation.

    Twist in the Tale

    Minister’s name pops up in arms dealer’s petition

    Fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari is locked in a court case against French defence firm Thales over a commission he claims was due to him but was not paid by the company. Bhandari’s lawsuit, filed in Paris against Thales, has already caused embarrassment to individuals and companies in India and abroad and has the potential to create legal trouble for them. Bhandari claims that Thales paid him only nine million euros instead of theagreed 20 million euros for facilitating the Indian Air Force’s 2.4-billion Mirage 2000 upgrade deal in 2011. Bhandari’s allegation spells trouble for the French government which owns around a quarter of Thales shares. He has said that Thales has created a complex web of companies to route commissions and payoffs to intermediaries in India and abroad. One such company is said to be owned by a Union minister in the present government. The said minister was reportedly a director in this company till a year before joining the government. Bhandari’s allegations are sure to find resonance in Indian political circles in the coming days. The government of India is seeking Bhandari’s extradition from the United Kingdom for his alleged “failure to declare his foreign assets under Black Money Act 2015” and “money laundering”. The Westminster Magistrates’ Court is expected to give a final decision in the extradition case on November 7 this year.

    Heads of Missions Meet
    Modi, Doval spell out a bold new approach

    Over a hundred heads of Indian missions from across the world gathered at Kevadia, the site of the giant Sardar Patel statue in the Narmada district of Gujarat, for an annual conference. The entire diplomatic corps from over a hundred countries was housed for three days in luxury tents pitched next to the statue of the Iron Man of India. The mission heads left Kevadia all fired up after listening to the stirring speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Kumar Doval. The PM exhorted the senior foreign service officers to dump old ways and think out of the box to promote national interest. He asked them not to be afraid of anyone as they represented a rapidly growing economy which is one of the largest in the world. He said India’s voice is heard the world over and its opinion is valued by all. Doval advised the officers not to stay stuck with old definitions and worldviews. He said times had changed and they should adapt to the changing times. Sessions were held at the conference on China, Russia, Africa, etc where the officers were brought up to speed with the government’s line on critical issues.

    Poll Funding
    Cops unearth hawala cash trail in Gujarat 

    Gujarat Police and the income tax department have unearthed an extensive network of hawala traders which, according to them, is being used by a political party for the transfer of funds to meet expenses for the ensuing state elections. Sources said this particular political party was transferring huge amounts of money from Delhi to *aangadias* (hawala operators) in Gujarat who in turn facilitate its distribution across the state to the party’s cadres. Police in Gujarat and Delhi have also reportedly identified the source of funds and the main player involved in this operation in Delhi. Hawala operators have already been questioned both in Delhi and Gujarat by the police and the income tax department. According to sources, these operators have given graphic details of how black money was being transferred from Delhi by the said political party and how carriers were used in Gujarat to funnel funds to the party’s candidates and office-bearers. Sources said investigations in the case are complete and a full report is being prepared with accounts of witnesses and hawala operators involved. Arrests are likely to be made as soon as cops get the political signal. Keep watching this space to be the first to know the name of the political party involved in this hawala operation.

    Twist in the Tale

    Minister’s name pops up in arms dealer’s petition

    Fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari is locked in a court case against French defence firm Thales over a commission he claims was due to him but was not paid by the company. Bhandari’s lawsuit, filed in Paris against Thales, has already caused embarrassment to individuals and companies in India and abroad and has the potential to create legal trouble for them. Bhandari claims that Thales paid him only nine million euros instead of theagreed 20 million euros for facilitating the Indian Air Force’s 2.4-billion Mirage 2000 upgrade deal in 2011. Bhandari’s allegation spells trouble for the French government which owns around a quarter of Thales shares. He has said that Thales has created a complex web of companies to route commissions and payoffs to intermediaries in India and abroad. One such company is said to be owned by a Union minister in the present government. The said minister was reportedly a director in this company till a year before joining the government. Bhandari’s allegations are sure to find resonance in Indian political circles in the coming days. The government of India is seeking Bhandari’s extradition from the United Kingdom for his alleged “failure to declare his foreign assets under Black Money Act 2015” and “money laundering”. The Westminster Magistrates’ Court is expected to give a final decision in the extradition case on November 7 this year.

  • On the run for 3 years, man wanted for facilitating hawala payments to Pakistani handlers held in UP

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terror Squad has arrested a man from the state’s Gorakhpur district for his alleged involvement in sending money through the hawala route to Pakistani handlers, officials said on Monday.

    The accused, Dinesh Kumar Singh alias Ajay Kumar Singh alias AK Singh (46), a resident of Gorakhpur, was arrested on Sunday.

    He was evading arrest for the past three years and carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, they said.

    In a statement issued here, the ATS said, “Information was received that on the instructions of Pakistani handlers, some people were using fake documents to open accounts in different banks, duping people to deposit money in those accounts, withdrawing the deposited money and sending it to the Pakistani handlers through the hawala route.

    ” “On March 24, 2018, accused persons Arshad Naeem, Naseem Ahmed, Mukesh Prasad, Musharraf Ansari alias Nikhil Rai alias Dabloo, Sushil Rai alias Ankur Rai and Dayanand Yadav were arrested,” it said.

    In this regard, a case was registered on March 25, 2018 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the ATS police station in Lucknow and during investigation, Singh’s name came to light, it added.

    “Accused Dinesh Kumar Singh along with Musharraf used fake documents and his photograph to open accounts in different banks.

    He used to hand over the accounts to Musharraf, who withdrew money from the accounts and sent it (to Pakistani handlers) through hawala.

    “This gang had opened more than 150 accounts using fake documents and carried out transactions worth lakhs of rupees.

    After withdrawing the money, it was sent to Delhi through other members of the gang and from there it was sent outside (the country) through hawala,” the statement said.

    “On August 1, Dinesh Kumar Singh was arrested from Gorakhpur by the ATS,” it said.

    An Aadhaar card, a PAN card, a Delhi Metro card, the registration certificate of a motorcycle, a diary and a purse, among other things, were recovered from him, the ATS said.

    “The arrested accused is being presented before a court, and seven days’ police remand will be sought for him.

    During this period, an investigation will be carried out into bank account transactions and people who had helped in opening the bank accounts,” the statement said.