New Delhi: In continuation of its crackdown on alleged illegal infiltration into India, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Thursday raided the premises of several trusts and Islamic seminaries across West Bengal, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh for allegedly “facilitating the infiltration of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals through the international border”.
According to the agency, the entities allegedly arranged their illegal rehabilitation in India, helping them “assume false identities by procuring forged documents, such as Aadhaar cards, PAN cards and passports”. The entities include Harora Al-Jamiatul Islamia Darul Uloom in Kalikapur, Tahiria welfare trust in North 24 Parganas, and Kabirbag Millat Academy—all in West Bengal—and Mohalla-Mahal near Madini Masjid in Deoband, Saharanpur, UP.
These “syndicates” work in border districts, and to generate permanent income for the “infiltrators”, they provided money or alternative arrangements, such as “an e-rickshaw, jobs, or cash benefits”, an ED officer said.
The searches were carried out by ED’s Lucknow zone office. Rs 40 lakh were found from the office of Harora Al-Jamiatul Islamia Darul Uloom and gold coins weighing 180 gm were found in its library.
“During the search, digital devices and incriminating documents are being investigated, and statements of the key persons are being recorded,” an officer said.
‘Money being routed through UK’
According to ED, a syndicate operates via public charitable trusts registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and these trusts would receive funds from “UK-based entities”.
“Thereafter, funds were transferred to the suspected individuals in small tranches of Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 to help them settle in India,” the officer said. “The ultimate utilisation of the laundered funds was directed toward the economic rehabilitation of illegal immigrants to anchor them permanently within India.”
According to ED, the probe revealed that a group was working in a border district of Bengal to help “illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshis infiltrate into India”.
“Another group was responsible for preparing all the documents for these illegal infiltrators, and then they were sent to other parts of India in search of livelihood or for other purposes,” the officer quoted above said.
ED’s case originates from an FIR registered by Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad regarding an organised syndicate allegedly involved in facilitating illegal infiltration of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals into India.
“It is a deep-rooted financial network involving certain charitable trusts and entities that receive substantial foreign contributions and divert the same through multiple bank accounts, mule accounts and layered transactions to facilitate illegal activities,” the officer said.
Also Read: 2 yrs of BNS & BNSS: Police probes 25% quicker, spurt in Zero FIRs under new criminal laws
Traitors. I hope they can get a detailed document on who they have helped. Also close them all.