CBI to ask UAE for details of Moin Qureshi’s associates

A week after filing a case against Kanpur-based meat exporter Moin Akthar Qureshi, the CBI is now preparing to send a judicial request to the UAE to get details about certain individuals based there, who have alleged links with him.

“There are allegations that Qureshi was remitting money outside India through his trade associates based in the UAE,” a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.

“Investigators want to ascertain the identity of his alleged associates operating in the UAE,” the person said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation is planning to send a judicial request to the authorities in the United Arab Emirates to get details about Mr Qureshi’s alleged associates there, said the person who did not want to be identified.

The CBI recently registered an FIR against Mr Qureshi in a corruption case. It also named former CBI director A.P. Singh in the FIR.

Those who were named in the FIR included Mr Singh, Mr Qureshi, Mr Qureshi’s employee Aditya Sharma and owner of Trimax group of companies Pradeep Koneru and other unknown people.

The agency’s FIR was based on a complaint received from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Mr Singh, a 1974-batch IPS officer, headed the agency between November 30, 2010 and November 30, 2012. The CBI based its FIR on the basis of a complaint forwarded by ED chief Karnal Singh, who alleged that during the course of investigation under the Foreign Exchange Management Act against firms owned by Mr Qureshi, it was revealed that he was acting as a middleman for some public servants.

In the letter, the ED chief attached records of Blackberry chat messages between Mr Singh and Mr Qureshi to allege that analysis of records disclose commission of cognisable offences. ED assistant director Arun Kumar’s complaint was also attached with the letter.