Intl trade fraud bust in Chennai accounts for 14% of ED convictions

Bank accounts, import documents created through forgery; ₹120 crore worth USD sent to Hong Kong under the guise of fake imports; eight accounts operated by Mani Anbazhagan, son of former DMK minister Ko Si Mani

- SIDDHARTH PRABHAKAR @Chennai

Through multiple current accounts in the Indian Bank's Thousand Lights and Syndicate Bank's Armenian Street branches. The accounts were opened using forged documents of intermediaries who were Hawala agents and name lenders with no financial wherewithal for such multi-crore international trade. ED found that these accounts were controlled by handlers in-charge of the laundering; the Hong Kong bank accounts were also controlled from Chennai by a Hawala operator, who is among the seven convicted so far.