New Delhi [India], May 18 : Searches have been conducted at the Delhi and Goa premises of Aam Aadmi Party member and ex MLA candidate, Deepak Singla, and other alleged hawala operators, officials said on Monday.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested Singla in connection with an alleged bank fraud case.
Officials said it has been gathered from reliable sources that Deepak Singla is allegedly handling the hawala operations for the movement of funds for Aam Aadmi Party between Delhi and Goa.
The officials said that Deepak Singla along with his uncle Ashok Kumar Mittal and brother Raman Singla and Harish Singla, allegedly defrauded Oriental Bank of Commerce more than 150 crore.
"The money was sent to controlled firms in Singapore. It is also suspected that, the such proceeds of crime are routed back to India allegedly through hawala route to be infused back in alleged illegal activities of Deepak Singla. In relation to this PMLA fraud, Deepak Singla has been arrested by ED today," officials said.
Officials had said earlier that Singla was arrested in connection with an alleged bank fraud case. The ED conducted a raid at Singla's residence in Delhi as part of its investigation into the alleged fraud case.
AAP leaders have slammed the BJP-led government over the ED action against Deepak Singhla.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Atishi accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to "acquire organisational data" of her party.
Atishi said the searches come amid what she described as AAP's "growing popularity" in Goa, alleging that the BJP was attempting to intimidate party workers through ED actions.
"With Aam Aadmi Party's popularity growing in Goa, BJP's loyal foot-soldier, ED has been sent here as well! From early morning today, there is an ED raid at the residence of AAP Goa co-incharge, Deepak Singla, as well as the home of some volunteers in Goa. Not only is this an attempt to scare our volunteers, but also to acquire all our organisational data for the BJP!" Atishi said in the post on X.