I-T sleuths grill Hasan Ali over hawala scam

MUMBAI: The Income-Tax authorities questioned Hasan Ali Khan, the central figure in the Rs 35,000-crore money laundering scam, at their office at Scindia House, Ballard Estate, South Mumbai on Thursday.

Mr Khan, who left the I-T office at 7 pm was questioned for about five hours. According to I-T officials his tax liability alone would amount to Rs 4 crore.

Mr Khan has been in news ever since the officials of the Income-tax department and Enforcement Directorate jointly raided his residential premises in Pune in January.

The raids yielded vital information regarding the Swiss bank accounts reportedly belonging to Mr Khan in which about $8 billion has been parked by persons whose names are yet to be disclosed.

Two senior officials of the Enforcement Directorate had visited Switzerland in January 2007 and managed to freeze the Swiss bank accounts.