The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Rajeev Sharma, a freelance journalist, on money-laundering charge. He was earlier arrested by the Delhi police for allegedly supplying confidential information to Chinese intelligence officials.
The accused was produced before a Special Court that sent him to seven days of ED custody.
The ED probe is based on the FIR registered by the Delhi police against Sharma under various provisions of the IPC and the Official Secrets Act. The police, who have filed a chargesheet in the case, had arrested him in September last year. He was later released on bail.
It was alleged that Sharma had supplied confidential and sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officials in exchange for remuneration, thereby compromising the security and national interests of India.
“The cash for remuneration of Rajeev Sharma and other unknown persons was being generated through ‘hawala’ means by some Mahipalpur-based shell companies run by Chinese nationals named Zhang Cheng alias Suraj, Zhang Lixia alias Usha and Quing Shi along with a Nepalese national, Sher Singh aka Raj Bohara,” said an official.
Huge transactions
The ED alleges that apart from cash, huge transactions were made with various Chinese companies and some other trading companies in India, which are being examined.
“These Chinese companies were acting as a conduit for the Chinese intelligence agencies to provide remuneration for persons like Rajeev Sharma who indulged in criminal activities,” said the agency, adding that he also received money through ‘benami’ bank accounts to evade detection.
