NEW DELHI: India’s financial probe agency, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday initiated an investigation into the money laundering angle in the Jahangirpuri communal violence case.
“The ED has registered a case of money laundering to probe the angle of funding through various channels to the accused named in the FIR (in the Jahangirpuri violence case),” a top ED official related to the matter said.
The development comes a day after the Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana wrote a letter to the ED, asking it to take action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 against prime accused Ansar.
Asthana had requested the ED director to probe Ansar’s financial details and properties registered in his name.
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Stone-pelting and arson were reported in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri during clashes that broke out allegedly after stone-pelting on Hanuman Jayanti Shobha Yatra on Saturday evening, leaving nine persons including 7 policemen injured.
The Delhi Police has already charged most of the accused including Ansar under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) in the violence case.
Ansar was arrested by the Delhi Police on April 17 and sent to police custody by a court. Police in its remand copy stated that Ansar, along with his four-five companions reached near the mosque and allegedly started the ruckus, which acted as a trigger point for clashes between the two communities.
As per Delhi Police officials, Ansar is a known history-sheeter of the area and has a record of his criminal history since 2007.
The source said that Ansar is said to be running a bootlegging business and gambling racket in the area and has been taken into preventive custody a number of times in the past.
He has a total of seven FIRs have been registered against him.