New Delhi, March 7: When the Supreme Court demanded, “What the hell is going on in the country?” suspecting some “hidden” interest was working overtime to shield Hasan Ali Khan, it had more than one reason for expressing its anguish over the Government's non-seriousness to prosecute money launderers and tax evaders holding black money accounts.
Documents placed before the court made very disturbing disclosures on how black money stashed by Ali was channelised for terrorism, corruption deals and weapons sale, reports The Pioneer, Delhi.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued a lookout circular against Ali on Friday. However, clear proof of Ali's notorious links was available with the agency and Finance Ministry officials, who came across bank accounts and transactions linking him to arms dealers during its investigations, way back in January, 2007.
This was stated in great detail in the Letters Rogatory (LRs) sent by Indian authorities in 2009 to their counterparts in Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, the UK and the US, where Ali has stashed $8 billion.
Yet, Ali's unholy nexus was never questioned. A case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, was registered but the agency did not feel the need to interrogate him in custody even once. He was pursued for a case of passport forgery just to ensure he remained out on bail.
If the recent lookout notice against him is some proof of his guilt, it is courtesy the remark by the apex court, which was shocked by the chain of events and the manner in which some “hidden” interest was shielding a traitor.
