Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (MS)
Udupi, Nov 4: Prima facie it is established that Rs 1.65 crore that was seized by the RPF personnel of the city, from the passengers travelling on Netravati Express train from Mumbai to Ernakulam on Friday, November 2 does not belong to Hawala transaction. It is learnt that this amount was earned by a certain individual by the name Jaswant Singh from the sale of gold bars.
Jaswant Singh, a native of Rajasthan, is residing in Kannur of Kerala state since the past 13 years. He is doing a business of home appliances and cloth. Since five years he was involved in the sale of gold bars also. Mostly Jaswant used to sell the gold to places like Hubballi and Belagavi. Jaswant's business partner, who was residing in Belagavi used to hand over the proceeds from the sale of gold bars to Jaswant. However, on Friday, November 2, Jaswant's business partner had asked Jaswant to take the money from him. Jaswant had sent a person called Prakash and another person by the name Ganesh was sent by Jaswant's business partner from Belagavi. Accordingly, Ganesh and Prakash were carrying the money in the said train.
File photo
The Income Tax (IT) officials had grilled the three people, who were caught transporting the said amount, from the early morning of Friday, November 2 to the next day early morning in the RPF office of Indrali railway station. The money that was recovered is counted and the amount is said to be Rs 1,64,96,500. It is possible that the whole amount is black money. It is learnt that the IT officials have searched the house of Jaswant at Kozhikode.
This is a business in which the gold bars are purchases at a relatively lower price and sold at places like Hubballi and Belagavi. Though Jaswant is an IT payer, the officials are investigating for the probability of disproportionate assets than his income, possessing unaccounted money and also transportation of the same without proper documents.
Money transported in car from Belagavi to Kumta
The transportation of money by train is started from Kumta. The business partner of Belagavi had brought the money till Kumta by car. Then his man Ganesh carried the two bags with cash on to the train from Kumta. As per prior information, Prakash, the man sent by Jaswant boarded the train at Bhatkal. Then both of them were travelling together towards Kannur. However, they were apprehended when the train was approaching the city as the Ticket Checker (TC) got suspicious of the two bags. The TC informed the matter to Santhosh Gaonkar, sub-inspector of RPF, who got into the action swiftly and cracked the case in an intelligent manner. It is learnt that the business partner of Jaswant who had brought the money from Belagavi to Kumta is absconding.
Money not related to elections
Election officers had also arrived at the spot as soon as they got the news of confiscation of such a huge amount of money in cash. However, it is almost clear now that this money is earned from the sale of gold and there is no connection to the election-related matter.
It is learnt that the Railway department officials are shocked at the unearthing of such a huge haul of cash on train for the first time. They have had a serious discussion on this issue on Saturday, November 3.