New Delhi: Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana has written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate the money laundering charges against the prime accused in the Jahangirpuri violence case, a senior officer said Friday. Ansar, 35, a resident of B-Block of Jahangirpuri, is alleged to be the ‘main conspirator’ behind the violence that took place April 16 during a procession on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, police informed.
“A letter has been written to the director of the Enforcement Directorate to probe Ansar under PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) charges,” the officer told this agency. He informed that Asthana has written to Director, ED, Sanjay Kumar Mishra.
During preliminary investigation, it has emerged that Ansar has money in many bank accounts. He is also in possession of several properties which allegedly were purchased through money won through gambling, police said.
“We have requested the agency concerned (ED) to probe the money laundering angle in the case of Ansar and analyse his bank account details and all the properties in possession of him to ascertain if this money was being funded by someone for a purpose, or if he earned this money through illegal means be it through gambling so that we can establish links,” the officer said, confirming the development.
Also read: National Security Act slapped on 5 accused persons in Jahangirpuri violence case: Sources
The ED is empowered to arrest a person and attach his or her assets during the course of a money laundering investigation.
Police said that nine of the arrested accused are in police remand which ends Saturday. Their associates have been questioned in connection with the incident. In the Jahangirpuri violence incident, 25 people have been arrested while two juveniles have been apprehended so far, police said.
According to police, Ansar was found to be previously involved in two cases of assault. He was also arrested repeatedly under preventive sections and booked five times under the Gambling Act and the Arms Act.
According to the Delhi Police, it has slapped the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against five people arrested in connection with the April 16 Jahangirpuri violence, even as the BJP and the AAP accused each other of links with the ‘main conspirator’. Among those booked under the NSA is Ansar.
Ansar allegedly had an argument with participants of the Hanuman Jayanti procession that escalated and led to stone pelting, according to the FIR.