Bengaluru: Union home minister Amit Shah made a startling revelation when he exposed an international conspiracy relating to the recent riots in northeast Delhi. Shah said that the Centre has information that the money came from abroad and the rest of the country and was distributed in Delhi.

Several agencies have told us that the money came from abroad and from the rest of the country before it was distributed in Delhi before the morning of February 24.

The international conspiracy:

The agencies picked up chatter which clearly suggested that there was a Pakistan link. An Intelligence Bureau official who is investigating this case tells MyNation that some handlers from Karachi had been pumping in money through hawala routes into India.

Delhi is a well-known hub for hawala activities and some of the top operatives function here. It was the hawala operatives in Delhi, who moved money during the cricket betting scandal. The NIA which probed a Lashkar-e-Tayiba module learnt that money for the outfit in Haryana to build a mosque was also moved by a hawala operative in Delhi. For years together, the separatists of Kashmir would receive their money from hawala operatives in Delhi. The money would be sent to Dubai before making its way to Delhi and then to Kashmir. Even in the Delhi riots investigations have found that the money was routed into Dubai from Pakistan, before making its way to Delhi.

Don’t waste our money:

In one of the conversations picked up by the agencies, a Pakistan handler from Karachi is heard shouting at a person in India. The caller says that so much of money has been sent, but the crowds for the anti-citizenship law protests are not enough. Buck up and bring in more crowds and cause chaos, the caller is also heard saying.

Intelligence agencies who have verified this conversation say that it is clear that the caller was from Pakistan and he is speaking to a contact of his in Uttar Pradesh. We are looking into the route and prima facie it appears they have used the same channel they would use to send money to Kashmir. It may be recalled that during one such probe it was found that money that had landed in Delhi was being transported to Kashmir in a gas cylinder.

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Money laundering:

In one of the latest developments, the Enforcement Directorate has booked both the PFI and suspended Aam Admi Party councillor Tahir Hussain for money laundering. Hussain was taken into custody by Delhi Police for the alleged murder of IB staffer Ankit Sharma.

The ED suspects that Hussain may have received money to fund the riots. A large number of people had gathered at his home, many who turned violent. Petrol bombs, sticks and stones were also found in large numbers on the roof of his house.

The PFI on the other hand is already being probed by the ED for allegedly routing Rs 120 crore to fuel the anti CAA protests. The role of the outfit in funding the Delhi riots is also under the scanner of the agencies.

Meanwhile Delhi Police has arrested PFI’s Delhi president Parvez Ahmed and secretary Mohammad Ilyas for funding and fanning the riots. Police have recovered a tablet from Parvez in which there are conversations regarding the protests at Shaheen Bagh.

Fake propaganda:

Delhi Police sources say that there is ample evidence that elements in Pakistan and India have been involved in spreading fake propaganda. They have been active on social media and have spread wrong information to Muslims. Further a word of mouth campaign was also on in full swing, both at Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, the police learnt.

The PFI had undertaken a (mis)information war to ensure that it spread fear and panic. There is plenty of incriminating material and we are joining the dots, which will help us further connect it to the international conspiracy as well, the source cited above said.

The PFI on the other hand has denied the allegations and says that there is a tendency to blame them every time.