ED raids Delhi hawala operator, seizes Rs 38 lakh

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at two premises of Delhi-based hawala dealer Daulat Ram Soni and seized Indian and various foreign currencies worth Rs 38 lakh, the agency said on Friday.

The raids were carried out under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) based on information that Soni is involved in hawala activities, said the agency.

"Cash totalling Rs 38 lakh including foreign currencies like Euro, GBP, New Zealand dollars, Canadian dollars, Ringgit, Yuan and Dinar were seized during searches at his residential and office premises. Six mobile phones belonging to Daulat Ram Soni and his employees were also seized wherein a number of incriminating messages and conversations relating to day-to-day hawala transactions were found."

The Directorate said that Soni was in regular touch with various persons based in India and abroad, and was facilitating unauthorised transfer of money (through hawala channel) to and from locations outside India such as Dubai, Hong Kong, Turkey and the UK on commission basis.

It was further revealed that he was operating from his residence in Shalimar Bagh in west Delhi and his office located in north Delhi's Chandni Chowk, said the agency.

--IANS

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