Cops suspect hawala link to robbed cash

Bizman can't explain source of Rs 8 cr

Delhi Police suspect that the Rs 7.69 crore robbed at gunpoint near  Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar Metro station on Tuesday could be hawala money.

Though Gurgaon-based businessman Rahul Ahuja has claimed the money, his partner, Kalkaji-based Rajesh Kalra, is also likely to be questioned.

According to police sources, complainant Rakesh Kumar, who is the businessman's manager, failed to explain the source of the money due to which it is suspected that the cash was part of an illegal overseas transfer.

“He has only revealed that the cash was to be used for purchasing properties in the capital,” a source said.

There is suspicion also because Rakesh revealed that the money was to be deposited in bank under ‘real time gross settlement systems (RTGS)’. This is a system in which the fund transfer takes place from one bank to another on a ‘real time’ and on ‘gross’ basis. The transaction is not subjected to any waiting period.

Sources said that the Income Tax Department has begun a probe to confirm the hawala link. Several teams of south and south-east police districts as well as the Crime Branch have been formed to nab the robbers.

Due to the hawala link, the Special Cell is likely to join the investigating teams.
Police also suspect that an insider could be behind the robbery as Rakesh claims that it was not a routine to transfer money.

“It seems that a group of professional robbers was hired and informed about the movement of the money. Initial police probe has revealed that everything was well-planned,” a police officer said.

The probe has revealed that a WagonR, one of the cars used by the accused, was robbed from a Deccan Herald employee’s husband in north Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on January 24. A case of robbery was filed with Jahangirpuri police station.

The second car, a Hyundai Verna, belongs to Anuj Khanna, a resident of Gurgaon. Anuj told police that the car was stolen from west Delhi’s Mundka when he went there to attend a wedding.