Cops reach intel unit to pin down wrestler Anthony
Punjab Police have sought Financial Intelligence Unit-india (FIU-IND) help after Manohar Lal Anthony alias Anthony Pehalwan’s links were traced to several people living in 11 countries, including Pakistan, Dubai and Philippines.
Anthony Pehalwan, a former Congress leader who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2017, was arrested by Tarn Taran police on May 25 after his name emerged during the investigation in 3-kg heroin seizure case. Anthony, a resident of Amritsar, was politically inactive for a year or two, but he has strong links with few influential political leaders in Amritsar.
The Anti-narcotics Cell of Tarn Taran police had arrested one Nishan Singh of Ferozepur district on April 5 with the heroin, which police said, was smuggled from Pakistan. During Nishan’s interrogation, it emerged that Anthony had sent money to someone in Pakistan.
“Our investigation has found that Anthony had transferred ₹89 lakh to Pakistan through Hawala at the instance of Nishan. He is not co-operating with us in the investigation. Due to his infirm health and age, we could not interrogate him thoroughly. Whenever we questioned him, he made an excuse about his back pain. While being interrogated, he didn’t agree that he has links in any foreign country. But our technical investigation has shown that his daughter is living in Canada. He had also been in touch with two Pakistani nationals. When we asked him about his contact with the Pakistanis, he told us that they are also wrestlers. Our probe, however, has suggested that they are not wrestlers,” said a senior police official, who is part of the investigation team.
He said, “He has links in 11 countries, including Pakistan, Dubai and Philippines. It is an indication that he had been working as a hawala operator. We have written to the FIU-IND to provide us details of Anthony’s assets and the hawala transactions made by him so far. His police remand finishes on Monday, but we will bring him on production warrant once we get his financial details.”
The police have also confiscated a digital video recorder (DVR) installed at Anthony’s home. The DVR has been sent to a technical lab for ascertaining its details.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dhruman H Nimbale said, “Yes, we have written to the FUI-IND and our investigation to ascertain Anthony’s links is still on.”
ANTHONY WAS ARRESTED ON MAY 25 AFTER HIS NAME EMERGED DURING INVESTIGATION IN 3-KG HEROIN SEIZURE CASE