Key hawala dealer nabbed in New Delhi

The Enforcement Directorate arrested a key hawala dealer and seized Rs15 lakh from his residence in the national capital. Enforcement Directorate sleuths also reportedly seized
documents pertaining to transactions of over Rs1,000 crore, which Puran Chand Aggarwal carried out in the past. Officials say he was part of an international hawala racket running across middle-east and south-east Asian countries.

According to sources, Aggarwal’s interrogation will bring to light the names of prominent people from the national capital, who also made hawala transfers to Dubai and Hong Kong. “The Enforcement Directorate is probing his foreign dealings. He has already taken the names of several leading businessmen. They are trying  to corroborate his statements,” an official said.

A source told DNA, “The accused transacted Rs 5-6 crore daily. He had even set up paraphernalia to cater to hawala clients in Delhi and Mumbai. An investigation of his assets revealed that he had four cars and drivers only to deliver hawala money.”

A finance ministry official said, “The Enforcement Directorate had reliable information on Aggarwal’s hawala transactions. Based on this, they raided his office and residence in Krishna Nagar. Aggarwal links in Dubai, Hong Kong, Nepal and other countries are being probed.”