With allegations rife about big money being laundered in a widespread network involving cricketers, bookies and the underworld, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has already started looking into it, official sources confirmed to HT.
The allegations followed after Delhi Police’s Special Cell last week arrested cricketer S Sreesanth, his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan and a few others including bookies on charges of spot-fixing in the latest edition of the T20 series.
“We were expecting the FIRs from Delhi and Mumbai police to come in by Friday. But we have already starting looking into various aspects where money could have been laundered,” an ED source said.
In India, the ED and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) are the designated agencies to be notified under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). PMLA defines money-laundering offences and provides for the freezing, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds of crime.
The ED is also likely to look into the allegations of ‘hawala’ transactions under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) as this channel is most likely to have been used to make and receive illegal payments, the source said. The transactions of many suspected ‘hawala’ dealers in big cities are also being looked into.
Besides the ED, the Income Tax department and the Directorate of Revenue Investigation are also looking into various aspects of violations that fall within their respective jurisdictions.
{{/usCountry}}Besides the ED, the Income Tax department and the Directorate of Revenue Investigation are also looking into various aspects of violations that fall within their respective jurisdictions.
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