HYDERABAD: Casino organiser Chikoti Praveen Kumar, who is facing many charges including hawala money transactions, allegedly played a key role in transporting unaccounted money to businessmen in Begum Bazaar through agents.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials intensified the probe into Foreign Exchange and Management Act (FEMA) cases registered against Praveen Kumar and his adie Madhav Reddy for allegedly transporting a huge amount to India through hawala after organising casinos and other illegal activities.
The agency officials served notices on Praveen Kumar's close associate Sampath, who is in the travel business, and others asking them to appear before the agency on Monday. Sampath allegedly provided travel facilities to Tollywood and Bollywood actors apart from businessmen to different countries based on directions of Praveen Kumar for participating in casino events.
Praveen Kumar was in contact with businessmen in Begum Bazaar, where crores of rupees turnover take place every day in the form of cash rather than digital payments, and helped them transport cash through hawala. After obtaining the bank account details and collection details in casino events held abroad, the investigation agency reportedly found that Praveen Kumar and his team had done hawala transactions.
Based on the call data of Praveen Kumar, the ED allegedly obtained details of several MLAs and district leaders of different political parties including the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in both Telugu speaking states. The agency is likely to make an in-depth probe on political contacts of Praveen Kumar to establish hawala transactions.
The investigation agency also is tracking the details of family members and relatives of VVIPs including public representatives in the city who had money transactions with Praveen Kumar. The ED officials also are keeping a close watch on suspects in connection with the hawala transportation with the assistance of Praveen Kumar, according to officials.
