New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested the brother of a Delhi-based businessperson accused in the 2021 Mundra seaport drugs haul case in a money laundering probe linked to narcotics trafficking, the agency said on Saturday.
Baneet Singh Talwar was arrested on October 23 and produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court at Tis Hazari in Delhi, which remanded him to five days of ED custody, the agency said in a statement.
The ED investigation stems from an NIA case related to large-scale smuggling of drugs concealed in semi-processed talc and linked seizures in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.
The probe followed the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence’s seizure of 2,988.21 kg of Afghan-origin heroin at Mundra port in the Kutch district of Gujarat in September 2021.
Baneet’s brother, Harpreet Singh Talwar, was earlier arrested by both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the ED.
The NIA has filed six chargesheets in the case, naming several accused for conspiring with an international drug-smuggling syndicate based in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Dubai. The syndicate was allegedly operated by a mastermind identified as Vitaysh Koser alias Raju Dubai, along with Pakistan ISI agents and Afghan nationals.
“Baneet Singh Talwar continued to manage and operate business entities under the beneficial control of Harpreet Singh Talwar even after the latter was arrested in the NIA case,” the ED alleged.
It claimed that Baneet provided more than Rs 55 lakh to a company controlled by Harpreet that was involved in narcotics smuggling.
Baneet also allegedly used cash deposits to finance the purchase of vehicles in the names of benami entities, which were seized earlier by the ED, it said.
“Further, Baneet Singh Talwar had also parked proceeds received from Harpreet Singh Talwar to acquire immovable properties, the benefits of which continue to be enjoyed by Harpreet Singh Talwar and family,” the agency said. PTI NES RHL
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