The sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at Guwahati on Wednesday evening arrested liquor mafia Rajesh Jalan on charges of being involved in money laundering case after an extensive interrogation at ED’s zonal office here.
Bonti Gogoi Pegu, the licensee of BG Bonded Warehouse located at Lokhra in Guwahati had illegally sublet the license issued to her by the Excise Department to Jalan and allowed him to carry out the business activity of the Warehouse.
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According to ED sources, Jalan, during the interrogation, confessed his involvement in taking out huge consignments of liquor from the warehouse in fraudulent manners showing sale to retailers in Kokrajhar during the period from 2012-15.
Sources informed that Jalan had also confessed use of fake and forged transport permits and challans to carry out the illegal activities.
Jalan also confessed forgery of signature and seal of the excise officials of Kokrajhar, Treasury Office and State Bank of India, Kokrajhar.
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Meanwhile, ED has denied Jalan’s alleged link with beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya.
It may be mentioned that Jalan was involved in misappropriation of Rs 19.86 Cr as excise revenue and Rs 218,642,082 as Value Added Tax (VAT) in connivance with excise officials.
Rajesh Jalan was arrested by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in 2016 in the money laundering case.
According to ED sources, some more officials of Excise Department and VAT are under scanner of ED.