ED attaches assets of KLF operative Jasmeet Hakimzada

New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate Monday said it has attached immovable assets located in Haryana as part of a money laundering investigation against international drug trafficker and Khalistani operative Jasmeet Hakimzada.

The federal probe agency said in a statement that he "deposited cash, originating from drug trafficking, into bank accounts in India".

These funds were "utilised" for purchase of immovable properties in Gurugram (Haryana) in his name. These properties, worth Rs 1.22 crore, have been provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED said.

Hakimzada has been designated as a 'Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker' under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act by the United States and is also listed as a specially designated national by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), US Department of the Treasury.

He is closely linked with the proscribed terrorist organisation Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and Harmeet Singh alias PhD, the Pakistan-based self-styled chief of KLF, the ED said.

Hakimzada, as per the ED, currently resides in Dubai and is "actively" operating a narco-terror network in India.

"He routed proceeds of crime, generated through drug trafficking activities of the KLF, to Dubai via hawala channels with the help of full fledged money changers (FFMCs) based in Amritsar (Punjab)," the agency said.

The ED had carried out raids in this case on August 27 last year and found some "secret" bank lockers in the names of Hakimzada and his wife in Delhi.

These lockers contained 1.06 kg of "unaccounted" gold and 370 grams of diamond jewellery, which was seized by the ED.

The money laundering case against Hakimzada stems from an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. PTI NES KVK KVK

Source: PTI