New Delhi: Almost 20 days after Delhi
Police named suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain in the Delhi riots case,
the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday carried out searches at six locations in
connection with its probe in a money laundering case against him.
An ED source told IANS, "Multiple teams of the agency are carrying out searches at six locations in the National Capital Region (NCR) related to Hussain."
The source said that the financial probe agency teams are carrying out searches at four locations in north east Delhi and two locations in Noida. The source said that the raids were carried out at Hussain's Khajuri Khas residence and at companies allegedly controlled by his wife and children.
The source also disclosed that the four-story building in Khajuri Khas is owned by Hussain and houses the office of Show Effect Advertisement Private Limited. According to ED, the suspended AAP leader is also the director of two more companies - Show Effect Worldwide Private Limited and Essence Cellcom Private Limited.
The ED action comes almost three weeks after it registered a case of money laundering against Hussain, who is currently in judicial custody. The ED had registered a case against Hussain and the PFI for money laundering and funding of riots in Delhi.
A senior ED official wishing not to be named told IANS, "We have filed a case of money laundering against Hussain and PFI." The official said that Hussain and PFI have been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The PFI is already facing a case from the central financial probe agency for their alleged role in the funding of the anti-CAA protests across the country. The ED has taken cognisance of number of FIRs filed by Delhi Police Crime Branch to probe the alleged money laundering and routing of illegal funds by Hussain, PFI and others to purportedly sponsor the communal riots that killed over 52 people in the last week of February in north east Delhi.
The ED is probing the funding and source of income which Hussain allegedly received for 'inciting' violence in Delhi. After Delhi violence, role of Hussain was found dubious as from his house the police recovered several petrol bombs as well as the acid pouches. His house in Khajuri Khas area of north east Delhi was also used for stone-pelting and hurling petrol bombs during violence. (IANS)Also watch: Evening Bulletin | 23rd June, 2020