Valsad: Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following the Surat Crime Branch’s bust of a major interstate hawala network. Speaking at a BJP public meeting in Valsad, Sanghavi alleged that funds from an AAP-linked hawala racket were being distributed to individuals running YouTube channels across various districts of Gujarat.

Addressing the public meeting, the Deputy CM said, “Recently, I was watching a news channel where a case involving a hawala scam worth crores of rupees was reported. It was allegedly linked to a personal assistant of a leader from the Aam Aadmi Party who had come from Delhi. If you watch the video, you can see large piles of cash. This money had been distributed every month over the past year to individuals running YouTube channels in different districts. The funds were being used in attempts to create internal conflicts among the people of Gujarat.”

This money had been distributed every month over the past year to individuals running YouTube channels in different districts. The funds were being used in attempts to create internal conflicts among the people of Gujarat. Now, this entire conspiracy has come to light. In the… pic.twitter.com/lw9Ht2tR8C

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Sanghavi further said that as more details of the alleged conspiracy emerge in the coming days, the public would be shocked by the scale of the operation.

“In the coming days, as each detail emerges, you will be shocked, it will feel as if the ground has slipped beneath your feet, wondering how someone could attempt such actions against the citizens of their own country,” he added.

It is noteworthy that ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, several YouTube channels had emerged in Gujarat which, allegedly operating under the garb of journalism, were promoting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Similar practices are reportedly still ongoing ahead of the upcoming local body elections. At that time, there were several allegations regarding links between such channels and the Aam Aadmi Party. However, with the Surat Crime Branch now busting the syndicate, it has become clearer that money was allegedly being funnelled into Gujarat.

Furthermore, with Sanghavi, who also holds the Home Department portfolio, making these claims, curiosity has increased among the public regarding which channels were involved and who operated them.

The Syndicate Exposed

The hawala scam was busted by Surat Police on Sunday, which alleged that nearly ₹1.25 crore was transferred from Delhi to Surat through an angadiya channel as part of a political funding network involving functionaries of the Aam Aadmi Party.

According to the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) and Umra police, the funds were allegedly sent by Delhi-based businessman Himanshu Pahuja and received in Surat by AAP workers Akash Mishra and Ajay Tiwari.

Addressing the media, DCP (Crime) Bhavesh Rojiya said police acted on a tip-off and tracked the transaction trail. “Mishra has been questioned, and prima facie findings suggest that the funds were intended for local elections in Surat,” he said.

Police further indicated that more angadiya operators and around ten individuals are suspected to be connected to the network. The Income Tax Department has also been alerted. Investigators said Pahuja, a resident of Janakpuri in Delhi, is believed to be a key sender in the network, while Mishra, based in Piplod, and Tiwari allegedly functioned as local receivers and distributors.

Officials suspect that the money was routed through informal channels before being distributed locally. A video released by the Crime Branch purportedly shows Mishra and Tiwari at an angadiya firm handling large sums of cash. Further investigation is underway to determine the full scale of the network and identify other individuals involved. DeshGujarat