ED approaches MHA to probe Hasan Ali links

After receiving a rap on its knuckles from a Mumbai court, a red-faced Enforcement Directorate has approached the Union Home Ministry to get the links of alleged black money hoarder Hassan Ali Khan.

New Delhi: After receiving a rap on its knuckles from a Mumbai court, a red-faced Enforcement Directorate has approached the Union Home Ministry to get the
links of alleged black money hoarder Hassan Ali Khan probed as
it could have a bearing on "national security".

Citing Khan`s alleged links with international arms
dealer Adnan Khashoggi and him having multiple passports, the
ED has conveyed to the Home Ministry that it was absolutely
necessary to look into various aspects of the 53-year-old
Pune-based stud farm owner`s dealings.

"We have received from the ED all relevant documents
related to Khan. After studying them, we will formulate our
future course of action," a senior Home Ministry official
said today. The ED comes under the Union Finance Ministry.

On March 11, the ED faced a big embarassment when a
Mumbai court rejected its plea seeking Khan`s remand for
custodial interrogation and granted him bail after observing
some of its "confidential" evidence was "available in
Wikipedia".

In its application seeking Khan`s remand, the ED had
referred to the huge amounts allegedly stashed away by him
abroad and his suspected links with Khashoggi.

The application also spoke about the multiple
passports he had acquired using forged documents.

The ED application said Khan had given instructions to
transfer funds from his foreign bank accounts to various
accounts outside India. It said that USD 700,000 was allegedly
transferred from Khan`s account in Sarasin Bank in Switzerland
to the account of S K Financial Services based in the UK
maintained by Barclays Bank, London through Citi Bank, New
York.

The ED accused Khan of dealing in, acquiring and
holding foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 36,000 crore.

On his Khashoggi links, it said," This requires
intensive probe as it has a bearing on national security as
well."

While taking note of accusations of Khan`s links with
Khashoggi and those involved in terror activities, the Supreme
Court had last Tuesday has asked the probe agencies to also
consider the option of booking him under anti-terror law.

The Mumbai court ordered Khan`s release after rejecting
the ED`s prayer for a stay on execution of the bail to enable
them to contest the judgement in a superior court as they
apprehended he would abscond.

The court also rejected the argument that USD 700,000
was allegedly transferred from Khan`s Sarasin Bank account in
Switzerland to the account of SK financial services based in
United Kingdom maintained by Barclays Bank London through Citi
bank New York and accepted defence lawyer I P Bagadia`s
contention that the account holder was one HA Kahn and not
Khan (Hasan Ali Khan).

On the charge that Khan had hoarded USD 8 billion in
UBS, Switzerland, something which the bank has denied, the
court said there was no material to show that money was
transferred to UBS and that tainted money was shown
as untainted.

PTI

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