New Delhi: Amid mounting trouble for yoga guru Ramdev, the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday registered a money laundering case against his close aide Balkrishna even as the agency is all set to close in on the two in its probe against their trusts.
The agency registered the case acting on the CBI FIR which had charged Balkrishna with violations of the Passport Act.
Sources said the ED suspects that Balkrishna, who has been looking after various trusts run by Ramdev, could have parked the alleged laundered money abroad using the forged Passport as claimed by CBI.
“The case has been registered under section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the investigations into Balkrishna’s transactions abroad are now underway,” sources said.
Ramdev’s aide Balakrishna.
The ED may also move to arrest Balkrishna who walked out of jail on bail on August 17. He was sent to jail last month after he was arrested by CBI for allegedly submitting fake documents for obtaining Indian passport.
The CBI had registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy against Balkrishna on July 23 last year for allegedly procuring fake degree and violating Section 12 of Indian Passport Act by furnishing fake and forged High School and graduation certificates to the passport authorities for obtaining the document.
The CBI had filed a chargesheet in a special court here against Balkrishna in the case.
The ED, which is probing Ramdev’s trusts, for alleged contraventions of the forex rules is also set to begin penal proceeings in this case too.
PTI
