Three hawala operatives under scanner of ED for scam at JKCA

A day after attaching assets worth `2.6 crore in a money laundering case pertaining to alleged embezzlement of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) funds, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is now probing the alleged links of the Association’s former treasurer Ahsan Ahmad Mirza and its finance committee member Mir Mansoor Gazanffer with three Delhi and J&K-based hawala operatives.

According to sources, investigation by the central probe agency has revealed that both Mirza and Gazanffer were allegedly in touch with certain hawala dealers.

“At least three hawala operatives based in New Delhi and J&K are under the scanner of the agency. We will soon call the hawala operatives for questioning”, sources said. Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has already been questioned by ED officials.

Abdullah has been slapped with the Public Safety Act (PSA) and is under detention since August 5 after the Centre abrogated Article 370 provisions that accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The ED on Saturday attached assets worth `2.6 crore allegedly linked to Mirza and Gazanffer.

A provisional order for attachment of assets was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against them.

“The attached assets consist of three FDRs (fixed deposit receipts) totalling `1.29 crore with J&K Bank’s Lajpat Nagar branch in New Delhi in the name of Mirza Sons, a partnership firm of Mirza and his father. 11 Kanals of land with structure and commercial shopping complex at Pandrethan, Srinagar to the tune of `1.31 crore has also been attached,” the ED said in a statement issued here on Saturday.

The ED case is based on a CBI FIR as part of which they booked former officebearers of JKCA, including general secretary Mohd Saleem Khan and Mirza.

The CBI later filed a chargesheet against Farooq Abdullah, Khan, Mirza, Mir Manzoor Gazanffer Ali, Bashir Ahmad Misgar and Gulzar Ahmad Beigh (former accountant of JKCA) for misappropriation of JKCA funds amounting to

`43.69 crore from grants given to the Association by the BCCI for promoting the sport between 2002 and

2011.