Thaindian News

Mumbai, March 7 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Monday raided the home of Hasan Ali Khan and quizzed him on the allegations of money laundering including the alleged $8 billion (Rs.36,000 crore) stashed away abroad, officials said here.

ED teams raided Khan’s Pune home and detained him for questioning. He is likely to be brought to Mumbai Monday night for further questioning in the matter, an official said.

The ED and other agencies investigating the money laundering racket are also likely to open some bank lockers in his presence in Mumbai, the official told IANS requesting anonymity.

However, the official declined to reveal the outcome of the raids or of Khan’s preliminary questioning.

This is the second time that Khan has been raided, the previous one being in January 2007.

Among other things, Khan is suspected to have stashed away around US$ 8 billion in Swiss bank accounts, transferring cash and assets out of the country through dubious means and evading taxes on income with a suspected liability of over Rs.40,000 crore.

Recently, the ED issued summons to him to appear before it March 10 while he was quizzed by the Income Tax Department last month in connection with notices served to him in December 2008.

The ED has also issued look-out notices against Khan to ensure he does not flee the country.