ED approaches MHA to probe Hasan Ali links

After receiving a rap on its knuckles from a Mumbai court, a red-faced Enforcement Directorate has approached the Union Home Ministry to get the links of alleged black money hoarder Hassan Ali Khan probed as it could have a bearing on "national security."

After receiving a rap on its knuckles from a Mumbai court, a red-faced Enforcement Directorate has approached the Union Home Ministry to get the links of alleged black money hoarder Hassan Ali Khan probed as it could have a bearing on "national security."

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Citing Khan's alleged links with international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi and him having multiple passports, the ED has conveyed to the Home Ministry that it was absolutely necessary to look into various aspects of the 53-year-old Pune-based stud farm owner's dealings.

"We have received from the ED all relevant documents related to Khan. After studying them, we will formulate our future course of action," a senior Home Ministry official said today.

The ED comes under the Union Finance Ministry. On March 11, the ED faced a big embarassment when a Mumbai court rejected its plea seeking Khan's remand for custodial interrogation and granted him bail after observing some of its "confidential" evidence was "available in Wikipedia."

In its application seeking Khan's remand, the ED had referred to the huge amounts allegedly stashed away by him abroad and his suspected links with Khashoggi. The application also spoke about the multiple passports he had acquired using forged documents. The ED application said Khan had given instructions to transfer funds from his foreign bank accounts to various accounts outside India.

While taking note of accusations of Khan's links with Khashoggi and those involved in terror activities, the Supreme Court had last Tuesday has asked the probe agencies to also consider the option of booking him under anti-terror law.