Terror funding case: LeT operative, two associates found guilty, fined Rs 15 lakh

The Adjudicating Authority under Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) has held a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and his two other associates guilty in a hawala case related to terror financing and imposed a penalty of Rs 15 lakh, the Enforcement Directorate said on Friday.

The Adjudicating Authority said three persons -- Mohd Ayub Mir, Bechh Raj Bengani and Harbans Singh have been fined with Rs 5 lakh, Rs 7 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, respectively. It has also ordered for the confiscation of seized cash of Rs 7 lakh in a 17-year-old terror funding case.

The investigation under FEMA was initiated by the ED on the basis of a report received from a special cell against the three persons.

The ED added Mir is an active member of terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba and he has admitted that Rs 7 lakh which was given to him by Singh was Hawala money.

"On June 2, 2002, the Special Cell, Delhi Police had intercepted and arrested Mohd Ayub Mir while he was receiving Hawala payment of Rs 7 lakh from Harbans Singh for terrorist organization. Mir is an active member of LeT and was also wanted by Jammu and Kashmir Police," ED said.

"In his statement, Mir admitted that Rs 7 lakh seized from him is the amount of Hawala money. He has also admitted of having links with LeT," the ED added.

The investigation agency further said that Harbans Singh was working as a driver of Bengani and was engaged in delivering cash on the instruction of his employer to Mir. Bengani was an infamous racketeer in Hawala trade.

Further investigation is underway.