ED custody of meat exporter Moin Qureshi extended

A court here on Monday extended the ED custody of meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi who was arrested in a money laundering case till September 8.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj allowed the Enforcement Directorate to further quiz Qureshi after he was presented in the court on the expiry of his four-day custody.

Public Prosecutor N.K. Matta, while seeking extension of Qureshi's custody, told the court that he was to be confronted with two public servants to ascertain a property deal and other proceeds of crime.

The ED told the court that the entire money trail of foreign remittances and their sources was to be ascertained and verified through the accused.

Matta said the ED has to confront Qureshi with government officials as well as other accomplices involved in the transfer of corruption money.

The ED is trying to identify Qureshi's foreign trade associates, he said.

Opposing the ED's plea, defence counsel R.K. Handoo said his client's arrest was illegal.

Qureshi was arrested on August 25 by the ED in a 2016 case against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for alleged illegal forex dealings and tax evasion.

According to the financial crimes probe agency, Qureshi was under investigation for allegedly remitting funds through hawala channels to Dubai, London, and a few other destinations in Europe.

The ED said that during the course of investigation, certain facts had emerged that constituted omission and commission of certain acts on the part of certain public servants holding high offices in collusion with Qureshi, whereby massive illegal money transactions were carried out.

The agency also said that the records collected from the Income Tax Department had revealed that Qureshi took huge sums of money from different persons for obtaining "undue favours from public servants" after exercising his influence.

Qureshi has denied the charges.

--IANS

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