Hawala operator arrested, Rs 5.70 crore in new currency seized

NEW DELHI: CBI today arrested an alleged hawala operator K V Veerendra in connection with seizure of Rs 5.70 crore of new currency notes of Rs 2000 denomination from his premises in Karanataka.

The agency sources said CBI has registered a case against officials of four banks--State Bank of India, State Bank of Mysore, ICICI Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank.

They said Veerendra was produced before Special court in Bengaluru which has sent him to six days of CBI custody for questioning.

The sources said during preliminary probe names of several persons have been taken by Veerendra and it is trying to gather material evidence linking the alleged hawala operator with them.

The sources said during the six days of questioning CBI will confront him with documents recovered from his premises and will try to get the source of these funds which may unravel alleged involvement of senior bank officials in the case.