Delhi: Income Tax officials bust Hawala racket, seize Rs 25 crore cash

The Income Tax Department on Sunday raided at least 100 lockers at a private vault and busted a Hawala racket. According to news agency ANI, the lockers were being used by Hawala traders to keep their money.

According to the report, Tax Men carried out raids at least eight locations throughout the city and seized Rs 25 crore cash.

Delhi: Income-Tax Department raided a private vault at Chandni Chowk & recovered Rs 25 crore in cash from more than 100 lockers. pic.twitter.com/7T7IyyWhHy

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

The cash allegedly belonged to some high profile individuals based in the National Capital Region (NCR), which includes tobacco traders, chemical traders and dry fruit dealers. Sources believe that these businessmen were apparently involved in hawala trading and had big international links.

It is to be noted that this is the third major ‘locker operation’ carried out by the probe agencies this year. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in September this year raided several locations in Delhi and Mumbai in connection with a Rs. 700 crore Dubai-linked hawala racket and seized Rs. 29 lakh cash and a number of documents.

The raids, NDTV sources said, were linked to the businesses and alleged illegal financial transactions linked to a Dubai-based hawala operator Pankaj Kapur. He is already being probed by the central investigating agency in a hawala case amounting to Rs. 3,700 crore.

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