Two suspected hawala traders arrested in Bhopal on Friday are Pakistani citizens living in Madhya Pradesh capital on a long-term visa (LTV), police said.
Bhopal police arrested Dayanand Kukreja, 48, and Ashok Bhadwani, 59, with Rs 80 lakh in “hawala money” while they were on their way to Mumbai to deliver the cash to a contact person there.
The money seized from the accused was in old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. Police said both claimed they were taking the money, belonging to certain businessmen of Bhopal, to Mumbai.
Additional superintendent of police Bhopal (zone 3) Rajesh Singh Bhadauria told HT the accused were running shops in Old Bhopal dealing in spices and date palms.
Kukreja has been residing in Bhopal’s Idgah Hills area since 1990 by periodically renewing his LTV, while Bhadwani has been living in New Sindhi Colony of the city since his arrival on a two-year visa in 2016, the police officer said.
Since June 2015, members of minority communities from Pakistan and Bangladesh have been extended certain facilities under the LTV.
The LTV for them can be up to 5 years at one go. Such visa holders are allowed to get their children admitted in schools, colleges, universities, technical/ professional institutions etc. without any specific permission from the state government/UT administration. The visa also permits them to take up employment in the private sector.
{{/usCountry}}The LTV for them can be up to 5 years at one go. Such visa holders are allowed to get their children admitted in schools, colleges, universities, technical/ professional institutions etc. without any specific permission from the state government/UT administration. The visa also permits them to take up employment in the private sector.
{{/usCountry}}Usually, LTV for any foreign national if he or she is not a person of Indian origin is for six months.
The duo, who belong to Pakistan’s minority Hindu community, could extend their visas several times, as it can be easily done by submitting affidavits, vowing not to commit a crime or get involved in criminal activities, police source said.
“We have now also booked the two accused for violation of visa norms under section 13 and 14 of the Foreigners Act. They are originally from Pakistan’s Sindh province. We are also looking into the documents recovered from them. If they are found to be faked, then we will also book them for forgery,” the additional SP said.
Meanwhile, police are investigating the money laundering case to what they say “expose the main people” involved in the hawala racket.
Income Tax department has been already informed about the cash seizure.
(With agency inputs)