MHA alerts all airports against cash transfers

New Delhi: In a bid to check movement of large quantity of old currency notes which could be meant for hawala network or money laundering, the home ministry has asked security agencies to keep a special watch across all the 98 airports in the country, with special focus on the Northeast.

Though most of these airports are being protected by the CISF, the local police also has been directed to remain vigilant. Reports reaching the MHA suggest that large amounts of old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination were being transported to some parts of the country, specially to the Northeast.

“We are still not certain whether the money being pumped into the Northeast is meant for terror outfits operating there or there some big hawala network being operated by some terror elements. So we have asked the security agencies to keep a watch on transportation of old currency notes in large quantity,” a senior security official said.

Following the demonetisation move announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, intelligence agencies have been closely tacking its impact on the hawala trade and terror funding. Intelligence reports so far suggest that demonetisation has had a severe impact on both.

However, sources admitted that flow of old currency notes into the Northeast was a matter of concern and the home ministry was now taking precautionary measures to ensure that this trend is stopped. The Centre has also cautioned the state government in the region to keep a special watch on this, sources added.

Home ministry sources had recently claimed that an estimated Rs 700 to Rs 800 crore is used for terror activities in the country. Out of this, Rs 350 to Rs 400 crore is used by insurgent groups in the Northeast, Rs 300 to Rs 400 crore by Naxals and Rs 20 to Rs 30 crore by subversive elements in the Kashmir Valley. Thus, the Centre is now keeping a special focus on flow of old currency into the Northeast.