The country's Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting extensive searches in the states of West Bengal and Jharkhand on the India-Bangladesh border in the context of the complaint of a Bangladeshi smuggled into India in search of work. The ED said that during the search various criminal items including fake passports and Aadhaar cards, illegal weapons, property documents, cash, jewellery, printing paper, printing machines and blank proformas used for making fake Aadhaar cards were recovered.
Starting from smuggling on the India-Bangladesh border, most of the money transactions are done through hawala. There have been several search operations before. But this time ED has found a big circle. ED officials are conducting searches in several places in West Bengal and Jharkhand since Tuesday morning. Searches are being conducted at several houses in the border areas of Madhyamgram, Bangaon and Barrackpore in West Bengal.
About ED, news agency PTI said that they have received specific information about how this money is traded, how this cycle works. The search operation has been started on that basis.
ED reached a woman's house in Madhyamgram. A lot of information can be obtained from this woman.
Officials say that this woman had brought several women from Bangladesh illegally to India as bait for work. All the transactions to bring them from Bangladesh to India were done through Hawala. After coming to India, Bangladeshi women realize that they are being pushed into unfair and illegal activities. They got involved with a gang. As there was no alternative, they were forced to join the work.
But within a few days some women escaped. They reached the neighboring state of West Bengal, Jharkhand. He went there and lodged a complaint with the Jharkhand police. On the basis of that case, the matter went up to the ED. ED believes that a big hawala ring is involved in this whole incident. Based on that, investigation and search operations have started. A search operation is underway at a total of 17 places in the state.
A post on ED's X handle said, 'The ED officials of Ranchi are conducting searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act at 17 places in Jharkhand and West Bengal on suspicion of illegal Bangladeshi infiltration. So far various criminal items including fake Aadhaar card, fake passport, illegal weapons, immovable property documents, cash, jewellery, printing paper, printing machine, blank proforma used for making fake Aadhaar card have been recovered. The search is ongoing.'
According to the ED, the money is being invested in various businesses in India after the money is brought in from Bangladesh through Hawala. The gang that is associated with it is trying to make black money white in the market. ED has traced various businesses where this money is being diverted. However, ED did not want to give specific information about this.
