GUWAHATI, Sept 1 � A substantial portion of funds allotted to North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council for the development of the hill district was siphoned off to foreign countries through hawala rackets, thus depriving the common people of the backward district of the fruits of development.
Highly-placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that the Enforcement Directorate has been investigating the case of money laundering in NC Hills Autonomous Council and during preliminary investigation, it was found that funds allotted to the Council were sent to Kolkata through hawala racket, where it was converted into dollars to be sent to Nepal. The commander in chief of the DHD (J), Niranjan Hojai used to stay in Nepal and after converting the money into dollars in Kolkata, the same was sent to Nepal for making payments for arms procurements.
Sources said that the person mainly involved in hawala transfer of funds from Guwahati has been identified but the National Investigation Agency (NIA) made him the witness in its case relating to siphoning off of funds to the coffers of militant groups.
Official sources said that the officials of the Directorate of Enforcement so far questioned nine of the 13 accused, 12 of whom are in judicial custody. But they could not question DHD (J) chief Jewel Garlosa, Niranjan Hojai and two other members of the militant group as they went on a hunger strike in protest against their arrest and had to be shifted to hospital. Sources said that the officials of Enforcement Directorate would try to question them as soon as possible regarding money laundering.
Sources, however, said that there would be a hitch in questioning Jewel Garlosa. The Court has granted permission to the Enforcement Directorate only to question the accused in the central jail, Guwahati. But Garlosa has been kept in a special jail in the headquarter of the Special Branch of the Assam Police and the Directorate does not have the court permission to question the militant leader there. The Directorate has written to the Additional Director General of Police, Special Branch asking as to when Garlosa could be shifted to the Central jail for questioning and the reply of the police is awaited.
Sources said that there were instances of payments of the council made in Guwahati itself in name of suppliers and in some cases substantial amounts were released to firms in advance. In one case, a firm was provided an advance of Rs 60 lakh and it is suspected that the money paid in such way went to the coffers of the militants.
The Enforcement Directorate is also trying to prepare a detailed list of all the accused in the case so that it can move the court for attachment and even confiscation of the properties acquired with the proceeds of crime. However, preparing the same would take some time as accused would not divulge the same easily. Sources said that according to allegations, Niranjan Hojai invested money in hotel business in Nepal and he even has investments in travel agency in that country and it is also alleged that he might have investments in Singapore. But the Enforcement Directorate is yet to get any conclusive proof of the same.
Sources said that RH Khan, the prime accused of the case, was a CDPO of the Social Welfare Department, but he was allowed to officiate in a much higher post of Deputy Director and he was even given financial powers. The Enforcement Directorate is trying to make an assessment of the list of his properties and even the properties acquired in names of others would be listed. His brother has been summoned for questioning as Khan reportedly bought a luxury car worth more than Rs 20 lakh in his name.
