NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out searches at multiple locations across four states as part of a money laundering investigation into the illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas into India, officials said.According to officials, the probe is focused on a purported syndicate that operated through public charitable trusts registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Investigators suspect these trusts received funds from certain UK-based entities.The ED’s Lucknow zonal office searched 13 premises across Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, Ballabhgarh in Haryana, and the West Bengal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Murshidabad.The agency’s 2024 money laundering case stems from a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), which accused an organised syndicate of facilitating the illegal infiltration of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals into India. The “syndicate” is also accused of arranging forged Indian identity documents, including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards and passports, and helping the infiltrators settle in different parts of the country.According to the ED, the ATS uncovered a “deep-rooted” financial network involving certain charitable trusts and entities that received substantial foreign contributions before diverting the funds through multiple bank accounts, mule accounts and layered transactions to facilitate these activities.Investigators suspect the money was transferred to suspected beneficiaries in small tranches of Rs 6,000, Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 to help them settle in India. They claim the funds were ultimately used to support the economic rehabilitation of illegal immigrants, enabling them to establish themselves permanently in the country.The ED also suspects that one network operating in some border districts of West Bengal facilitated the illegal entry of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals into India, while another procured forged identity documents before sending them to different parts of the country in search of work or for other purposes.According to the agency, the trust also provided financial assistance or alternative means of livelihood, such as e-rickshaws, jobs or direct cash support, to help the infiltrators establish themselves in India.(With PTI inputs)
