No hawala connection between Narendra Modi and Afroz Fatta, says Enforcement Directorate
Virendrasingh Ghunawat Mumbai, April 29, 2014 | UPDATED 11:22 IST
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi with hawala accused Afroz Fatta.
The revelation comes a day after the Congress released photos of the BJP's prime ministerial candidate with Fatta, who was arrested in connection with a Rs.1,000-crore hawala racket.
"What is the nature of relationship, connection and protection offered by Modi to Fatta, the alleged hawala kingpin who features in a number of photos along with the Gujarat Chief Minister in various social and political functions?" asked Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala at a press conference on Monday.
Though Modi has not replied to the allegations, but a source in the Enforcement Directorate in Ahmedabad told IndiaToday.in that "Modi has no connection with Fatta, till now."
One senior said: "We have been tracking Afroz Fatta since 2004. He is a businessman with hawala connections. Even in this Rs.1,000-crore hawala racket, Fatta played a major role, which we are investigating. But connecting Modi with Fatta looks politically motivated. Till today, we have not found any connection of Modi directly or indirectly with Fatta in this case or any other hawala case in Gujarat."
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Ahmedabad police and now the Enforcement Directorate have been investigating the massive hawala racket which was exposed in Surat in March.
"FIR details are awaited from the EOW. Once it comes, we will register a case against some individuals and entities under PMLA [Prevention of Money Laundering Act]," said a source in ED.
Investigation till now shows that the major chunk of money in the hawala racket, unearthed in Gujarat, belonged to Delhi and Mumbai businessmen and share brokers of Gujarat who were utilising it to smuggle gold.
Fatta and his accomplice used to deposit fake bills of entries of imports in banks and the remittances were paid to unknown people outside India.
The major chunk of money was being sent to Hong Kong.
"The money sent abroad through hawala was used for buying gold. This gold was later smuggled into the country. Some money got invested in stock market through foreign institutional investors (FIIs)," the ED official said.
Till now, ED officials have frozen five bank accounts of Fatta in Surat and Mumbai. The process to freeze the accounts of the companies owned and headed by Fatta has also been initiated. Eight demat accounts of Fatta in a Surat-based brokerage firm, which contained shares worth Rs.15 crore, were also frozen.
The ED has filed a case under PMLA against Fatta, his partner, his brother, brother-in-law and his sister.
The hawala racket was unearthed by ED in Surat on March 21.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-has-no-hawala-connection-with-fatta-ed/1/358108.html
BJP releases photo of hawala accused Afroz Fatta with Md Azharuddin
PTI New Delhi, April 28, 2014 | UPDATED 10:25 IST
Hours after Congress released a CD purportedly showing Narendra Modi in pictures with hawala accused Afroz Fatta, BJP hit back by coming out with pictures showing the same man with Congress MP Md Azharuddin.
BJP legislator Harsh R Sanghavi brought out a picture showing Fatta with cricketer-turned-politician Azharuddin and questioned Congress on it.
![Md Azharuddin with hawala accused Afroz Fatta]( "Md Azharuddin with hawala accused Afroz Fatta")
"Afroz Phatta with Congressi Leader @azhrudeen will Congress answer what's there connection with him?," Sanghavi tweeted.
His tweet, along with the picture of the two, was retweeted by Modi's confidante and BJP leader Amit Shah but deleted the same from his twitter account soon thereafter.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala came out with the CD claiming Fatta to be a "well known BJP supporter and a protege of Modi".
The CD was brought out a day after BJP released a video CD targetting Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi and husband of Priyanka Gandhi, over his alleged land deals.
BJP legislator Harsh R Sanghavi brought out a picture showing Fatta with cricketer-turned-politician Azharuddin and questioned Congress on it.
Md Azharuddin with hawala accused Afroz Fatta.
"Afroz Phatta with Congressi Leader @azhrudeen will Congress answer what's there connection with him?," Sanghavi tweeted.
His tweet, along with the picture of the two, was retweeted by Modi's confidante and BJP leader Amit Shah but deleted the same from his twitter account soon thereafter.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala came out with the CD claiming Fatta to be a "well known BJP supporter and a protege of Modi".
The CD was brought out a day after BJP released a video CD targetting Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi and husband of Priyanka Gandhi, over his alleged land deals.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bjp-narendra-modi-releases-pix-of-hawala-accused-afroz-fatta-with-md-azharuddin/1/358048.html