New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case against a Chinese national. The Chinese national was allegedly running a hawala racket worth an estimated Rs 1,000 crore. He was using shell or dubious firms to conduct his operations, officials said Monday. Charlie Peng, alias Luo Sang is the man behind the hawala racket. It has also been alleged by the authorities that he is a Chinese Spy.
ED sources said that they have pressed sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against 42-year-old Charlie Peng. He and some of his alleged associates, including Indians, and bankers were raided by the Income Tax Department August 12. The taxman had searched at least two dozen premises, including that of Peng in Gurgaon.
The ED has taken cognisance of the tax department evidence and action and a Delhi Police Special Cell FIR against Peng. Then they filed the criminal case of money laundering against him, they said.
Peng, according to sources, is alleged to be holding a fake Indian passport. Tax officials had said he created a ‘web of sham companies to launder hawala funds to and from China’ in the past two-three years. They said his front or showcase business was import and export of medical and electronic goods and some other items.
Also read: Top Chinese spy nabbed in Delhi, was gathering information on Tibetans: Police
Peng, the sources said, was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police in September, 2018. He was book for fraud and forgery and also for passing on vital information to China regarding Tibetans living in north India.
It is alleged that Peng got a fake Indian passport from Manipur after marrying a woman from that state. Some fake Aadhaar cards were also recovered during the raids against him. Peng is currently being questioned by the tax department apart from central intelligence agencies.
Both the I-T department and the ED, sources said, are also probing allegations if Peng was ‘bribing’ some Tibetans living in Delhi for getting some work done from them.
Agencies