Delhi raids: IT, Delhi Crime Branch seize Rs 3.25 crores in old notes

New Delhi [India], Dec. 14 (ANI): Following a tip off, a joint action of the Income Tax and the Delhi Crime Branch was conducted in a hotel in Karol Bagh here, upon which the massive amount of Rs. 3. 25 crores was recovered in old notes. Upon interrogation it was found that the money belongs to some Bombay based hawala operators, who have hired packaging specialists who pack these notes in such a manner that it was even undetectable by airport scanning machines. These experts in packaging use a particular type of tape and wires which passes through X-ray also without being detected. Meanwhile, the IT Department has seized the cash and is analyzing the mobile details which allegedly contain details of lot of other hawala operators. The Hotel Taksh Inn was raided on upon the search of Room No. 202 and 206, five persons were caught. Ansari Abuzar, Fazal khan, Ansari Affan from Mumbai, Ladu Ram from Rajasthan and Mahaveer Singh from Jodhpur were held. The recovered amount was kept in different suitcases and a card board box and upon counting the amount, the total amount came up to Rs. 3.25 crores in demonetised currency notes. This recent raid comes in the wake of yet another raid carried out in the national capital, where in a joint raid conducted by the Income Tax Department and the Delhi Police, Rs. 10 crores was recovered from a law firm in Greater Kailash area. Acting on a tip-off, the police recovered Rs. 2.5 crore in new currency notes and the balance Rs.7.5 crores in old currency notes from the T&T law firm owned by Rohit Tondon late on Saturday night. "We received information which we shared with the Income Tax department and jointly raided this place. Till now, we have seized around Rs. 10 crore rupees out of which Rs. 2.5 crore are new currencies and Rs. 7.5 crores in old currency," Assistant Commissioner of Police, Inter-State Cell Sanjay Sehrawat told media. The police said the currencies were kept in various bags and stored in a cupboard in a separate room. Following the massive raids on the premises of three Chennai-based businessmen, the Income Tax Department last Saturday confirmed seizing Rs 24 crores in new currency notes in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. The latest haul is the highest number in cash recovery that has been retrieved so far in the form of new currency. During an investigation, the IT department found out that some cash was hidden in a car in Vellore, upon which it was discovered that all currency was in the form of Rs 2,000 notes in 12 boxes of Rs 2 crore each. Upon interrogation of those detained in Chennai, a breakthrough was made in the recovery of this cash wherein the IT sleuths laid a trap for the person transporting Rs 24 crores in Vellore and subsequently seized the currency. Interrogation is currently underway of those who were detained in Chennai which could lead to further recoveries. Following demonetisation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had carried out massive raids in 50 branches of 10 banks across the nation in an attempt to keep a tab on those account holders, who deposited huge amounts at one time. According to sources, the ED also received a strong tip off that several account holders post demonetisation deposited money and changed their black money into white through banks nationwide. The officials also turned their attention on those accounts that have suspicious transaction post demonetisation and shining bright on their radar are those banks and branches, where maximum amount of cash in old currency has been deposited. (ANI)