The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it had seized properties worth Rs 1.48 crore in a hawala case against the brother of Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot, PTI reported. The seizures were made in connection with alleged violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act.

The properties seized include a flat in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area and some land in Haryana’s Chauba village. The seizure order was issued under Section 37A of the law.

“Investigation was initiated under FEMA based on the information received from the Income Tax Department informing about transfer of money to the tune of Rs 1 crore from India to Dubai through hawala channel by Harish Gahlot through a Delhi-based hawala dealer for making advance payments toward purchase of two flats in Dubai in September 2018,” the Enforcement Directorate said.

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Locations linked to Kailash Gahlot were searched by Income Tax officials in October 2018 too, in connection with an alleged tax evasion case. The multiple premises included Gahlot’s residence, and offices of Brisk Infrastructure and Developers Limited and Corporate International Financial Services Limited. The investigation into alleged tax evasion was against the two firms, which are operated and owned by the Gahlot’s family members. Properties of Harish Gahlot were also searched then.

Kailash Gahlot had denied any wrongdoing and the Aam Aadmi Party had called the action “political vendetta”.

The Enforcement Directorate said its inquiry had revealed that in September 2018, Harish Gahlot had given Rs 1 crore in cash to his younger son in Dubai allegedly through unauthorised hawala channels.