Did business with Headley, but never opened account: IndusInd Bank

The bank response came to certain media reports which claimed that payments were made to Headley through the bank's Nariman Point Branch in South Mumbai

Leading private sector IndusInd Bank on Thursday said it had followed all regulatory guidelines while conducting a financial transaction for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headley, but denied it had opened any bank account for him.

"In 2006, the bank, under a money transfer arrangement, duly approved by regulators, handled a few inward remittances under the Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS), in the normal course of business, in October-November. As per the regulatory guidelines in force, cash was handed over to David Headley after completing due diligence," the bank said in a statement here.

The bank response came to certain media reports which claimed that payments were made to Headley through the IndusInd Bank's Nariman Point Branch in south Mumbai.

Headley had revealed earlier on Thursday said before Special Tada court judge G A Sanap that he had received terror funds, including counterfeit currency, from various LeT and Pakistani spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) functionaries.

Since last Monday, he is deposing via videoconference from a US jail before the Special Judge Sanap on his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and being grilled by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

The bank asserted that it had obtained the requisite documents including a copy of Headley's passport issued by the US which was valid from March 2006-2016.

Earlier, there investigations by the Indian agencies between 2009-2011 and the bank had produced the KYC documents to them and declared that IndusInd had not opened any bank account in Headley's name or handled any other business for him.