Delhi Police Special Cell closing in on hawala operators linked to Chinese spy case

New Delhi: A day after Delhi Police Special Cell arrested a freelance journalist for sharing sensitive data to China, it is now closing in on the alleged hawala traders related to the case.

According to sources in the special cell, a huge amount of money was sent to Rajiv Sharma through hawala operators from both the shell companies owned by Qing Shi.

Qing Shi was in contact with some medicine wholesalers at Bhagirath Palace as she used to buy medicines for her pharmacy company.

The Special Cell found documents at Qing Shi's office linking her company to these whole salers. They will now be questioned in the matter.

The agency will try to estabilish if the payment made by Qing Shi to these medicine whole sellers was a business transaction or was it part of hawala transaction.

Also, some government employees and private citizens who were in contact with Rajiv Sharma will be questioned soon.

The Delhi Police Special Cell arrested journalist Rajeev Sharma on Saturday after interrogating him for allegedly sharing secret defence papers with Chinese spy agencies. 

Rajeev Sharma, a resident of New Delhi's Pitampura, was arrested along with a Chinese woman Qing Shi and her Nepali associate Sher Singh (aka Raj Bohra).

As per the police, the Chinese woman and her Nepalese associate were paying Rajeev Sharma large amounts of money routed through shell companies.  

The investigation has so far revealed that the shell companies are operated by foreign intelligence and they are used to transfer funds to Sharma and Chinese nationals Jhang Chang and his wife Chang-li-lia run the companies 'MZ Pharmacy' and 'MZ Malls' under fake names Suraj and Usha.

They both are currently in China and on their behalf, arrested Chinese lady Qing (30) and Nepali national Raj Bhora (30) (both directors of MZ Pharmacy) were operating the business from Mahipalpur. 

Delhi Police said, "A few days back, a secret input was received from an Intelligence Agency that Sharma is having links with Foreign Intelligence Officer and he has been receiving funds from his handler through illegal means and Western Union money transfers platform for conveying sensitive information, which concerns National Security and Foreign relations. Sharma was arrested on September 14, 2020 and a Search Warrant was obtained for searching his residential premises."

"During the search of the house of Sharma in Pitampura (New Delhi), one laptop, some confidential documents related to Indian Defence department and some other incriminating documents were recovered and seized," said Delhi Police in an official statement.

Delhi Police added, "Forensic analysis of seized mobile phones and laptops is being conducted to unearth the entire network and conspiracy in this case. Identities and roles of other foreign nationals involved in the conspiracy are also being ascertained."

Delhi Police said that further investigation in the case and with respect to the Chinese shell companies based in Mahipalpur is in progress.