MALAPPURAM: In a major haul of currency in the state after the demonetisation of high-value currencies, the police unearthed unaccounted money worth Rs 39.9 lakh, a lion’s share of which is in new Rs 2000 banknotes, from Tirur and Melattur here on Saturday. The investigation into the seizure of Rs 3 lakh from an alleged hawala carrier from Tirur on Friday led to the busting of the network and the arrest of Shoukath Ali, the carrier. They seized Rs 34.48 lakh in bills of Rs 2000 and Rs 5.5 lakh of Rs 100 denomination during the raid.
Ali was intercepted by the police from Tirur town under suspicious circumstances while he was carrying Rs 3 lakh said to be distributed to various parties. During the questioning, he revealed that it was the money of Shanif Babu, a hawala operator in Melattur. During a search operation conducted at his Babu, the police discovered a secret vault inside the bedroom where the huge stash of money was found. The investigation team was led by Tirur DySP A.J. Babu. They, however, failed to trace hawala operator Babu who absconded before the raid. A search is still on.
“He has been booked under various sections of CrPC including Section 102 (power of police officer to seize certain property). The case will be forwarded to Enforcement Direct-orate and concerned departments for further investigation,” sub-inspector Renjith K.R. said. Ali, a native of Mannarkad in Palakkad district, was one of the three men arrested from Tirur in April with Rs 1.5 crore of hawala money during a raid in the wake of Assembly elections.
