I-T dept seizes more than Rs 6 crore cash from hawala operator in Goa’s Margao
India Today
The Income Tax Department on Saturday seized hawala money to the tune of Rs 6.2 crore from a hawala operator's residence in Margao while carrying out election surveillance in poll-bound Goa.
The Income Tax Department on Saturday seized hawala money to the tune of Rs 6.2 crore from a private residence in Margao while carrying out election surveillance in poll-bound Goa.
On receiving specific inputs from the Inspector General of Police that a hawala operator is in possession of cash at his residence at Margao, the Income Tax Department got a warrant to search the premises.
During the course of search, it was found that the hawala operator had made a hidden cavity at his residence for storing cash and other valuables wherein cash was found. Further, cash was also recovered from a secret compartment in a car parked at his residence which was made specifically for transporting cash and other valuables.
The search and seizure operation yielded Rs 6.20 crore in cash.
On being questioned by the I-T department, the hawala operator stated that the cash was hawala money. He does hawala for hardware traders in Goa.
However, various inconsistencies have been observed in the hawala operator’s statement. The I-T Department suspects that the cash was meant to be distributed amongst voters to influence them during the upcoming legislative assembly election in Goa.
In this regard, further investigations are in progress.
