On Wednesday, the Income Tax Department successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle Rs 200 crore of hawala money into Tamil Nadu, allegedly intended for a prominent political party ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The operation resulted in the arrest of Vinoth Kumar Joseph, an Indian national who had been deported from Malaysia and was intercepted at the Chennai International Airport on April 7. During interrogation, Joseph revealed his involvement in a large-scale hawala operation spanning Dubai and Malaysia.
Upon searching Joseph's belongings, the Income Tax officials seized a mobile phone, iPad, and laptop, uncovering plans to transfer hawala funds worth Rs 200 crore from Dubai to Chennai.
WhatsApp conversations retrieved from Joseph's mobile phone indicated his intention to channel the funds to a well-known political party based in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, other individuals named Appu, Selvam, Monika Virola, and Suresh have been identified as part of the operation.
The investigation is ongoing, with the Enforcement Directorate expected to delve deeper into the case. With Tamil Nadu slated to vote for 39 Lok Sabha seats in a single phase on April 19, this incident underscores the significance of combating illegal financial activities that could influence the electoral process.
