INSIDE KASHMIR: Multi crore hawala scam unearthed in Kashmir, 3 held

Pro-India, separatist leader involved: Sources
Srinagar: Three people, including a New Delhi based broker have been arrested by police here in connection with a multi crore hawala racket involving a top pro-freedom and a mainstream leader of north Kashmir.

Reliable sources told Kashmir dispatch that New Delhi based property dealer, Hira Lal and two locals identified as Mushtaq Ahmad and Suleman were arrested by Shaheed Gunj police station last week for allegedly handling hawala transactions of two prominent leaders of north Kashmir. The two leaders, they said were siblings and come from a very influential family from north Kashmir.

The trio, sources said disclosed before the police that they had brought nearly Rs 4 crore for the siblings from a Pakistani national identified as Bilal Rahi.

“While one leader is associated with a Hurriyat Conference faction, another tried his luck in mainstream politics,” sources said.

The hawala money, sources said was used by the duo to purchase properties in New Delhi and Srinagar.
“The pro-freedom leader purchased nearly 10 kanals of land and a palatial house in Delhi, while his brother, who is in the mainstream politics purchased two houses, one each in Delhi and Srinagar. In Srinagar, he purchased a house in Rawalpora that belonged to a man identified as Darbari Lal for 87 lakh,” sources said.
“This is tip of an iceberg. It’s believed that many deluxe cars have also been purchased with the hawala money,” they added.
The duo, sources said paid a whopping amount of Rs 50 Lakh to two pro-India leaders, including a legislator who was named in the infamous 2005 sex scandal for carrying out election campaign.
Sources said that police has filed a case FIR 26/2011 under section 489 RPC in Shaheed Gunj police station and have started further investigations in this regard.
“In the coming days more arrests are likely to be made,” they added.