Fake passport, Kuwait trips: Mumbai police detain man after raids reveal hawala operations, suspect his role in terror funding

MUMBAI: The police have detained a 48-year-old man in a hawala racket and are probing his role in suspected terror funding. Police said the accused had got a passport made under a different name and was involved in monetary transactions through hawala after officials found foreign currency on him.

An FIR was registered under provisions of the Passport Act, Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and other relevant laws.

The police acted on information provided by the special branch-I. The deputy commissioner of SB-I alerted the deputy commissioner (zone 12) on April 7. Thereafter, on April 8, the police carried out raids at two apartments in Malad (East) and an office premises belonging to the suspect.

The police said the suspect had travelled to Kuwait on multiple occasions using a passport that has a different name. He has a Kuwait driving licence as well as a driving licence issued by Maharashtra govt. From the three properties, the police came across Rs 12.47 lakh, more than nine cellphones, laptops, pen drives and tablets valued at Rs 1.6 lakh collectively, and Kuwaiti dinar.

The police recovered two fake Indian currency notes. They found a boarding pass for a Kuwait flight and photos shot in Kuwait. They also found photos of the suspect's second wife dealing in monetary transactions.

"We are examining his role in possible terror funding," said a police official.

Police have also found a passport rejected by the Hyderabad passport office and a global debit card with a Kuwait civil identity number.


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