PTI
New Delhi, 15 January
The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday said it has attached a residential property worth Rs 48.21 lakh of a Delhi-based journalist in connection with a money laundering probe into the alleged leak and supply of sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officials.
The ED said in a statement that a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has been issued for attachment of assets of independent journalist Rajiv Sharma in Pitampura area of the national capital.
Sharma, who was arrested by the agency in July last year, was granted bail in the case by the Delhi High Court last week.
The agency said its investigation found that “Sharma had supplied confidential and sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officials in exchange for remuneration, thereby compromising the country’s security and national interests”.
“Such remuneration to Rajiv Sharma was being provided by a Mahipalpur-based shell company, which was being held along with a Nepalese national Sher Singh alias Raj Bohra like Zhang Cheng alias Suraj, Zhang Lixia alias Usha and King Xi. Chinese citizens were driving.
“This Chinese company was acting as a conduit for Chinese intelligence agencies to provide remuneration to individuals like Rajeev Sharma,” the ED said in the statement.
He claimed that the remuneration was being paid in cash to the carriers as well as through cash deposits.
“Sharma also obtained money using his friend’s bank account to hide his involvement in criminal activities. Apart from receiving remuneration in cash, he also received remuneration in the form of various paid foreign trips arranged by the Chinese. Intelligence agents,” alleged the ED.
The agency’s case is based on a Delhi Police FIR filed against Sharma in 2020 under various sections of the Official Secrets Act and IPC.
The journalist was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on September 14, 2020 and accused of briefing Chinese intelligence officials about the deployment of the Indian Army and the country’s border strategy.
The ED had also filed a charge sheet in this case last year.