J-K hawala case: Court sends ex-Minister Babu Singh to Judicial custody

A Special Court in Jammu on Saturday sent the former state Minister Babu Singh to 30 days of judicial custody in connection with the hawala money case.

The third additional session court also sent the other accused Mohammed Shareef Shah to the judicial custody for 30 days. The two accused have been sent to Kot Bhalwal Jail.

The next hearing of the case will be held on May 15, said the court.

The former Minister was arrested on April 9 in Kathua. He was absconding from March 31 in connection with a hawala money case.

Earlier, on 31 March on the basis of a specific input that some unknown persons were going to receive Hawala Money at Jammu, the J&K police established several checkpoints in the Jammu city.

On suspicion, police arrested one person namely Mohammad Shareef Shah who is a resident of Sed Pora Larnoo Kokernag, Anantnag in the Gandhi Nagar area of Jammu.

Police seized Rs 6.90 lakh from his possession in connection with the hawala transaction case.

On questioning, Shah disclosed that he was tasked by Jatinder Singh alias Babu Singh, a former Minister from Kathua to collect the money from one Omer at Srinagar. After receiving money from Omer, Shah came to Jammu where he was caught.

Shah further disclosed the names of his local and foreign associates, Javed and Khatib, residents of PoK and Faroow Khan of Toronto, Canada.

Police said Md Shareef Shah is also the admin of a secret WhatsApp group having members from different countries.

Police had also detained three more persons for questioning regarding the hawala transaction. A case was registered and an investigation is underway.

( With inputs from ANI )

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