Mumbai:
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today got fresh leads into the black money case involving Pune-based businessman Hasan Ali after he surrendered to the probe agency late on Thursday night.
Armed with information following Mr Ali's ongoing interrogation, the ED today questioned the Indian heads of Swiss Banks Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) and Credit Suisse. The Indian head of Barclays Bank alongwith other officials was also quizzed.
The ED is probing Mr Ali's alleged hawala transactions through these banks including 8 billion dollars transacted via the UBS.
Mr Ali surrendered before the ED after the Supreme Court cancelled his bail granted by a Mumbai Sessions Court.
While appearing at the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) office, Mr Ali had said that he was innocent and that he respected the Supreme Court's orders.
The Supreme Court had on Thursday over-ruled a Mumbai court that had granted Mr Ali bail last week on the grounds that the Enforcement Directorate had not been able to provide any document to back its allegations against him. The court had asked Mr Ali to report to the officials handling his case every day, and not to leave Mumbai.
In a harsh critique of that decision, the Supreme Court said it had "frustrated the investigation" against Mr Ali. It also granted the Enforcement Directorate custody of Mr Ali for four days.
The ED is probing tax evasion, money laundering, and terror charges against Mr Ali.
Hasan Ali is believed to have 8 billion dollars in black money in foreign bank accounts. He has also been ordered to pay Rs. 70,000 crore as a penalty for tax evasion. His lawyer claims that Mr Ali is innocent of all the charges against him.
The businessman was arrested earlier this month and moved to Mumbai from Pune, where he is known for his lavish cars, homes, horses and parties.
The Enforcement Directorate says it needs to question Mr Ali while he's under arrest to interrogate him about violating foreign exchange laws, money laundering, and about a possible link to international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi.
The Supreme Court had earlier this month suggested that Mr Ali be tried on terror charges because his activities seemed to involve a threat to "national security."
The Supreme Court has referred repeatedly to the government's inaction against Mr Ali in the context of a case that it is hearing on black money. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani amongst others asks the government to recover crores of unaccounted-for money that has been stashed in foreign banks by Indians.