Israeli Embassy bombing: ED attaches assets of journo Kazmi

Enforcement Directorate (ED), as part of its money laundering probe, today attached foreign currency and vehicles which were seized from the premises of a journalist who is an accused in the case relating to the attack on an Israeli Embassy vehicle here.
Making it a case of "terror financing", the agency issued the orders under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and issued prohibitory orders on seized foreign currency totalling USD 1,250 (Rs 78,092 approx.), a two-wheeler scooty and a Maruti Alto car which were recovered by Delhi Police after searches were carried out at journalist Syed Mohd Ahmad Kazmi's residential premises in the national capital.

Kazmi, who was writing for Iranian publications, was arrested on March six by the police on charges of orchestrating the crime.
The incident dates back to February 13, 2012 when unidentified bike-borne assailants stuck a magnet bomb on the rear of an Israeli Embassy vehicle in the heart of Delhi.
Four people, including the wife of an Israeli diplomat, were injured in the bombing incident.
ED later registered a criminal case under PMLA to probe "terror financing" links in the case.

An attachment order of ED can be challenged by the affected party before the Adjudicating Authority of PMLA within a time period of 120 days.

Kazmi's family and his colleagues have earlier denied all the allegations against him and demanded a fair probe into the case.
Sources said that with this action, ED has paved the way for filing a money laundering charge sheet against the accused including Kazmi.
They said that in the latest attachment order, ED investigation found that while Kazmi was allegedly in possession of the foreign currency and the two vehicles were used for "reconnaissance" of the targets.
"While the car belongs to Kazmi, the scooty was purchased in the name of a Israeli national and was seized from his house during police searches," sources said.

The journalist and his family members have been questioned by the probe agency a few times even as a forex violation probe is on in the same incident.
Delhi Police had said Kazmi and his wife have been receiving foreign remittances regularly and till March, 2012. His wife has allegedly received Rs 18,78,500 and Kazmi Rs 3.80 lakh as foreign remittances.