ED questions US deportees against agents

After the Enforcement Directorate had last week started summoning 11 US deportees, about four of them appeared in zonal office here this morning.

ED officials had lodged an ECIR into the matter recently on the basis of the FIRs lodged by the Punjab Police against the unauthorised travel agents across the state. The agency is investigating the case for suspected violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED has started probing these agents collecting inputs from the deportees first. The deportees were asked to bring in documentary evidences against the agents, including account details reflecting monetary transactions. They were also asked to provide details like contacts of the agents and their foreign conduits and links so as to be able to track more details. An Amritsar-based deportee said there were three other deportees who had been summoned today by the ED. He said their investigation was also underway by the officials simultaneously. — TNS