I-T dept joins probe in alleged AAP hawala racket

Surat: Names of senior national-level AAP leaders may emerge in the ongoing investigation by Surat crime branch into the alleged hawala racket involving members of the party, police sources have said.Surat police named two AAP workers — Akash Mishra and Ajay Tiwari — for the alleged hawala operation, which they claim was run by AAP leaders from Delhi. Police officials said they are investigating whether the funds routed to Gujarat were distributed to social media operators and YouTubers to create an anti-govt environment. "Mishra worked with AAP leader Satyendra Jain in the past. He travelled to many states, including Delhi, Haryana, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, and was in contact with many senior AAP leaders. The money received by him was to be distributed to social media influencers and YouTubers. They were told to create an anti-govt environment and create rifts between communities so that electoral benefit could be gained," a police official said. Meanwhile, the income tax department joined the probe to plot the trail of the cash received by Mishra and Tiwari. Investigators found that both had visited a Mahidharpura-based angadia firm five or six times and received Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh on each occasion. Investigators also said that the two were in contact with Gujarat AAP leaders. Mishra has roots in Delhi and completed his schooling in Surat. Deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghvi also levelled allegations against AAP over the alleged hawala racket. "The Delhi AAP leader's PA has come here and could be seen with bundles of cash as part of the hawala racket. This was going on for one year, with huge amounts received every month through hawala and given to YouTubers to create disturbance among communities. When people come to know the truth in the coming days, they will be shocked," Sanghvi said. AAP Gujarat president Isudan Gadhvi told mediapersons: "As the BJP is in fear of losing elections, it will keep conspiring like this till the election. If its leaders had worked for the people, they would not have had to see such days." BOX Similar racket busted in Surat in 2022 In 2022, Surat rural police had busted a similar racket during the assembly elections. At the time, AAP candidate Rajendra Solanki allegedly received Rs 20 lakh from Delhi via Ahmedabad. The matter came to light after two persons stole the cash from Solanki's car while his driver was transporting it. The driver had collected the money from an angadia firm. After the incident, police checked several angadia firms. AAP had then denied the hawala allegations.
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