ED raids aviation consultant Talwar in FCRA money laundering case

The ED today conducted multiple searches in Delhi and Haryana in connection with a case of alleged money laundering against aviation consultant Deepak Talwar, an NGO linked to him, and others for allegedly "misutilising" over Rs 90 crore funds taken through the foreign funding route, officials said.

They said the agency raided at least nine premises, including those of Talwar, after it registered a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on a CBI FIR of last year.

The teams are on spot at these locations in Delhi and Haryana and are looking to gather documents and evidences, they said.

Talwar, for a long time, is said to be out of the country and is reportedly in Dubai.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) case pertains to the allegations of misutilisation of foreign contribution (under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) which were received as part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme for the purpose of carrying out educational and social activities in India.

The agency is looking at the laundering of alleged tainted funds in this case.

The CBI had conducted multiple searches in November last year in this case after filing a criminal case.

The CBI had then said that "the funds were allegedly received mainly from a foreign based company to the tune of Rs 90.72 crore in the bank accounts of a Delhi-based private firm/NGO registered under the FCRA, 2010, for carrying out social welfare activities in the field of education.

It had booked six entities- Delhi-based NGO Ms Advantage India, Ms Accordis Health Care Pvt Ltd, Talwar, Sunil Khandewal of Accordis Health, the MD of Accordis Health Raman Kapoor, another consultant T Kapoor and other unknown persons.

The CBI alleged that Talwar and the NGO, in the name of purchasing ambulances and other articles, diverted the funds received from Europe's leading missile manufacturing company MBDA and the Airbus group.

This, the CBI had claimed, was in alleged violation of the FCRA.

It had also said that FIR was filed against the accused based on a complaint of the Union Home Ministry.

The Income Tax Department has also been probing Talwar and others on charges of alleged tax evasion.