Laundering of drug money: ED files charge sheet against four

The Enforcement Directorate today filed a charge sheet in a Delhi court against four accused, including an Amritsar-based firm, in connection with a case of alleged laundering of money globally in a drug trafficking racket.
The charge sheet was filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) before District Judge I S Mehta who assigned the case to Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Neena Bansal Krishna. The charge sheet has been fixed for consideration on November 25.
Amritsar residents Gagandeep Singh and Paramdeep Singh, Delhi-based Gaurav Gupta and firm, Raja & Co Forex Pvt Ltd have been charged with offence punishable under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"Investigation has shown that the accused Gagandeep Singh, Paramdeep Singh alias Raja and Gaurav Gupta by laundering the ill-gotten funds have directly and knowingly dealt with proceeds of crime and concealed/projected the same as untainted property and hence have committed the offence of money laundering defined (under) section 3 of PMLA which is punishable under section 4 of PMLA where maximum punishment is upto 10 years rigorous imprisonment with fine," the charge sheet filed through ED's prosecutor Naveen Kumar Matta said.
In the charge sheet filed by ED's Assistant Director Man Singh Yadav, the probe agency said, "Since the matter has international ramifications, enquiries have been initiated with other countries to collect further evidence in this case".

The three accused were arrested on September 25 from Amritsar and Delhi in connection with the case.
ED has told the court that these accused were involved in illegal business of fund transfer to and from India to Australia and vice versa through banking channels and hawala route relating to funds generated out of drug money which was in fact proceeds of crime under the PMLA.
It also alleged that money was also transferred to the United Kingdom (UK), the US, the UAE, Europe and Hongkong.