ED Seizes Cash, Gold Coins From Bengal Madrasa in Multi-State Terror Funding & Infiltration Probe

Lucknow Zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Thursday seized Rs 40 lakh cash and gold coins weighing 180 grams during search action at Harora Al-Jamiatul Islamia Darul Uloom based in Kalikapur area in West Bengal, officials said.

The recovery is part of ED's massive search operation carried out at 13 premises across West Bengal, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged terror funding and illegal infiltration network.

According to ED officials, the cash and the gold were found in the library and seized under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after no satisfactory justification was given by the person in charge of the premises.

Among places searched by the ED's Lucknow zonal office team in close coordination with state police included Batla House and Madanpur Khadar in New Delhi; Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh; Raigarh in Maharashtra; South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Kolkata and Murshidabad in West Bengal.

Sun Shine Health and Social Welfare Society in Madanpur Khadar, Kabirbag Millat Academy in North 24 Parganas, and Harora Al-Jamiatul Islamia Darul Uloom were among the institutions alongwith some individual suspects, searched by the ED team.

Officials said the case originates from an FIR registered by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) regarding an organised syndicate allegedly involved in facilitating illegal infiltration of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals into India, arranging forged Indian identity documents and aiding their rehabilitation in various parts of the country.

"Predicate investigation has revealed a deep-rooted financial network involving certain charitable trusts and entities allegedly receiving substantial foreign contributions and diverting the same through multiple bank accounts, mule accounts and layered transactions to facilitate illegal activities," said the officials privy to the development.

ED investigation has also indicated the use of cash withdrawals and small-value transfers to suspected beneficiaries.