The 9 persons will be produced at the NIA court today
Just after two hours of the Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley saying that demonetisation has broken the back of terror funding the National Investigation Agency (NIA) claimed that it had seized over Rs 36 crore in demonetised notes in a terror funding case. Nine people have been arrested in the matter.
"We have seized demonetised currency of face value Rs 36,34,78,500 and arrested nine persons," a senior NIA official said claiming that this was the biggest seizure of demonetised notes till date by the agency.
Investigation by the agency revealed that some people who had links with the separatists and terrorists still were in possession of a significant amount of demonetised currency.
"The money we seized is that which these people were unable to deposit or convert during the period earmarked by the government," explained a senior NIA officer.
Thus surveillance was mounted and initially 7 persons were apprehended and after questioning 6 were were arrested.
Later, 3 more persons were apprehended and subsequently were arrested after interrogation.
The recovery was made by NIA at Jai Singh Road near Connaught Place in New Delhi. "They were carrying 28 cartons filled with the demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 in four luxury vehicles," added the officer.
A blue colour BMW X3 car, a white BMW X1 car, a white Creta SX and a black Ford EcoSport were seized by the NIA. All arrested would be produced in the NIA court today. Incidentally, today is the first anniversary of demonetisation.
The opposition has time and again said that demonetisation had made no significant impact on curbing terrorism and its financing from across the border.