Hyderabad: Based on the information gathered from a specific input, the city task force with the assistance of the flying squad and Static Surveillance Team (SST) intercepted three vehicles at different locations and seized Rs 7.51 crore that was reportedly meant to bribe voters in the forthcoming elections.
The Hyderabad police handed over the details of hawala operators to the income-tax department and the Enforcement Directorate to probe the trail of financial transactions and involvement of shell companies.
The seized money was being transported from other states and abroad through hawala channels. The team detained hawala operators namely Ashish Kumar Ahuja, 23, of Naveennagar; Mohd Azam, 31, of Bahadurpura; Sunil Kumar Ahuja, 50, of Naveennagar and Bahbut Singh Raj Purohit, 46, of Ghoshamahal.
Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said, “On interrogation, the operators revealed that the amount was transferred online into the accounts of shell companies. To facilitate this, hawala operators falsified documents, and gave false declarations to open bank accounts.”
The cash has been transferred to the Central Crime Station and the case will be investigated further by an official of the ACP rank.
