Bareilly: Police have busted an alleged Dubai-linked hawala network and arrested two key operatives accused of routing nearly ₹4.70 crore through shell firms and fake bank accounts over the past six months. Officials said the network moved cash across several states and is now being examined for wider criminal links, including possible connections to cyber fraud and other unlawful activities.
Cash Seizure Leads To Arrests
The arrested accused have been identified as Jagdish Chotiya, a resident of Nakodesar village in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district, and Jameer Ahmed, a zari trader from Haziapur Chungi in Bareilly. Police recovered ₹35 lakh in cash, four mobile phones and two forged Aadhaar cards from their possession.
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According to officials, the cash was being transported from Bareilly to Delhi when the accused were intercepted. Police said the seizure led investigators to an alleged hawala chain operating through shell companies, fake accounts and cash-based transfers.
Investigators said the network was allegedly controlled by a Dubai-based handler identified as Ali Zeeshan. Jameer Ahmed reportedly came in contact with him through Facebook about a year ago, after which their communication shifted to WhatsApp calls.
Shell Firm Used For Fund Movement
Police said Jameer Ahmed allegedly created a shell company in May 2025 under the name KGN on instructions from Ali Zeeshan. The firm was registered in the name of his cousin Moin Ali and shown as a fruit and vegetable trading business.
Investigators suspect the company had no genuine business activity and was created to facilitate illegal financial transactions. Cash was allegedly deposited through Cash Deposit Machines into bank accounts linked to the firm.
Funds were reportedly routed from several states, including West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Assam and parts of Madhya Pradesh such as Rewa and Satna. Officials said transactions worth around ₹4.70 crore were recorded over six months, despite the absence of legitimate business activity.
Delhi Hawala Links Under Probe
Police said no online transfers were made from the accounts to avoid detection. Instead, cash was withdrawn in Bareilly and physically transported to Delhi, where it was allegedly handed over to further handlers.
Investigators said Jameer was promised a 20 percent commission for managing account creation and cash movement. Jagdish Chotiya is alleged to have been involved in hawala operations for nearly four years, using currency note serial numbers as tokens for cash delivery.
According to police, the withdrawn cash was ultimately routed to Delhi-based hawala operators in Chandni Chowk, identified as Lalchand and Dhammaram, along with Jameer’s brother Moin Ahmed. All three are currently absconding, and police teams have been deployed to trace them.
Authorities are also examining the absence of GST filings, repeated small-value transactions and the use of VoIP-based communication by the foreign handler. Police said three dedicated teams have been formed to probe the wider network, financial trail and possible cross-border links.
