Enforcement Directorate (ED) Probing Hawala Transaction From Middle East To Assam

Enforcement Directorate (ED) Probing Hawala Transaction From Middle East To Assam

GUWAHATI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating whether a few religious institutions or other organizations of the State are receiving money from the Middle East through hawala transactions.

The investigation has been necessitated after the Enforcement Directorate took custody of arrested Nurul Islam Nakvi, principal of Jamia Islamia Salafia Arabic College in Barpeta on Sunday. Nakvi was arrested by Barpeta police on Saturday on charges of his involvement in a hawala transaction of Rs 8,45,000. He had received the money from Kuwait through hawala.

Hawala is a method of transferring money without money actually being moved. As per the definition of Interpol hawala is “money transfer without money movement”.

“The Enforcement Directorate is investigating the purpose of transferring such a huge amount to the principal of an Arabic college in Barpeta district through hawala. It has to be investigated whether such similar hawala transactions are also happening with other religious institutions and organizations. The possibility cannot be ruled out about the involvement of some businessmen, extremist organizations and unscrupulous elements in such transactions,” a source said.

It has also been learned that Naqvi during his investigation confessed that his institution receives a huge amount of funds from Kuwait, one of the major petroleum-producing countries in the Middle East. Naqvi’s father has also been arrested by the police.

The arrest of Naqvi has not only unearthed gross violation of the Money Laundering Act of the country but also brings to light the relationship between some Islamic Institutions of Assam and the Middle East countries which might result in fuelling religious fundamentalism in certain cases.

Also Read: Top Headlines

Top Headlines

No stories found.
Sentinel Assam
www.sentinelassam.com