HYDERABAD: Ahead of the general elections to be held in the State on December 7, a number of businessmen from Gujarat and Maharashtra are found to be indulging in transporting unaccounted cash to the city via “hawala” eying easy money.
In the last few days, Hyderabad police have cracked the whip on gangs based in Gujarat and Maharashtra who were found during the transportation of huge cash to city. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Task Force, P Radha Kishan Rao said they have specific information that a number of businessmen based in Gujarat and Maharashtra have planned to shift huge unaccounted cash to the city to do illegal hawala business during the general elections in the State.
“We have nabbed persons indulging in the illegal business carrying huge cash. It is revealed that the businessmen want to make easy money in offering hawala money by collecting huge commission,” Radha Kishan Rao said. While the gang members charge 0.6 per cent for their illegal trade, during elections time, they collect huge commission.
Police kept close watch on suspects
The Hyderabad police have arrested at least ten persons for transporting cash by hawala and seized their smart mobile phones. During the investigation, the investigation officers (IOs) collected data of customer and the details of businessmen and kept close vigil on their business transactions and call data. While some businessmen of Gujarat and Maharashtra were involved in using `10 note for coding to deliver the amount, some businessmen of Rajasthan started using technology in sending code message to customers to receive the hawala cash.
The city police also took assistance of IT wing experts in detecting the hawala cases by identifying the gang members and their illegal business activities.