Officers of the Income Tax (I-T) Department have reportedly unearthed a plan of a “prominent political party” to bring ₹200 crore through hawala transaction for distribution during the Lok Sabha election after a key hawala operator was intercepted at Chennai airport.
On being deported from Malaysia, Vinoth Kumar Joseph, an Indian national, was intercepted at the Chennai International Airport on Sunday. Sources said on examination by the agencies, it was found that he had been involved in a huge hawala network that is operating from Dubai and Malaysia for transfer of illegal money from Dubai to India.
The I-T team seized a mobile phone, i-pad, and laptop from Joseph and also recorded his statement.
I-T Department sources said, “It has been found from WhatsApp chats on his mobile phone that he was planning to bring money from Dubai to Chennai through hawala for a prominent political party based in Tamil Nadu. His conversation in the last few days with a person named Selvam, who is based in Dubai, indicate that a sum of ₹200 crore was intended to be transferred from Dubai in connection with the Parliamentary election.”
Sources added that a person called Appu alias Vinayagavelan was closely connected with Joseph. He is reportedly involved in the election campaign for a prominent politician.
The other persons/entities apparently involved in facilitating the hawala transactions have been identified as Monika Virola, who is based in Dubai, a concern named Al Manar Diamonds based in Dubai, and Suresh based in Malaysia, said the sources.
Further investigation is on to trace the others involved.