Hyderabad: Task force sleuths arrest 7 of hawala gang, Rs 5 crore seized

HYDERABAD: Task force police have busted a hawala racket and arrested seven persons for illegally transporting cash worth Rs 5 crore near Jubilee Hills on Monday night. Acting on specific information, the west zone team of task force kept watch on the movements of certain suspects on Monday and intercepted them at Jubilee Hills Check Post at 11 pm.
The arrested, Vipul Kumar Patel and his associates Shailesh Bhai, V K Patel, Arun Labhuji, Rajesh Rameshbai Patel, Upendra Kumar Patel and Patel Chetan Kumar are all natives of Gujarat and had been staying at Kacheguda.Police seized Rs 5 crore cash, two cars and a scooter from their possession.
“The accused were not carrying any valid documents to prove the source of cash. We have seized the cash and during investigation, we found out that the accused were part of hawala gang,” city commissioner Anjani Kumar said. The gang takes orders over the phone through their company, P Umesh Chandra & Company headed by Harshad Bhai Patel and Umesh, residents of Ahmedabad. The company also has branches in Ahmedabad, Surat and Mumbai, police said.
“On Monday, agents of the company informed the seven accused to deliver Rs 5 crore to their Mumbai office in two cars. We nabbed them while they were en route to Mumbai. The seized amount will be handed over to income tax officials for further investigation,” the commissioner said.