ED seizes Rs 1.83 crore from hawala operator in Jaipur

JAIPUR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday seized foreign currency worth Rs 93 lakh and Indian currency of Rs 90 lakh from an alleged hawala operator Harish Bhatija involved in the foreign exchange trade in Jaipur.
Sleuths of ED received inputs that the accused identified as Harish Bhatija, owner of M/s Harish Forex (P) Ltd. is involved in illegal exchange and collection of foreign currency.“It was further found after discreet enquiry that illegally collected and acquired foreign currencies were sent to other cities including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and others by Bhatija with the help of his employee one Kamal Bhandari,” said a senior officer of the ED, Jaipur on Friday.
Kamal used to carry such illegally collected foreign currencies in person and transport them to various places by using public transport such as bus or train as mode of travel. It was also specifically gathered after discreet enquiry that Kamal used to conceal currency in a waist pouch and socks.
On Thursday the accused Kamal was intercepted in Jaipur when foreign currencies of 11 different countries including US $ and Euro equivalent to Rs. 60 lakh was recovered from him. “He had concealed the money in waist pouch and socks. Thereafter, we conducted search at Johari Bazaar shop that belonged to Harish forex and residential premise of Harish which resulted into seizure of foreign currency equivalent to Rs 33 lakh. Thus we seized foreign currency worth nearly Rs 93 lakh. In the same search our men seized Indian currency worth Rs. 90 lakh,” an officer said.