ED to file PMLA case against ex-CBI chief AP Singh

The ED has registered a case against meat exporter Moin Qureshi, who is alleged to have moved money for A P Singh and some other CBI officers.

“We have to register a fresh case against Singh because the case against Qureshi is based on the Income Tax department’s investigations and deals with the offence of tax evasion and money laundering. Singh’s case is different as it involves corruption and money laundering,” said an ED official.

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On February 21, the CBI registered an FIR naming Singh, Qureshi, Qureshi’s businessman friend Pradeep Koneru — whose name also figured in the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy disproportionate assets case — and others on the basis of a complaint filed by the ED.

“In our reference to CBI, we attached documents which had names of various people with whom Qureshi was in regular touch and had dealings which were not entirely above board. These included CBI officers,” said an ED official.

The ED’s complaint alleged that Qureshi, during Singh’s tenure as CBI chief, obtained money from individuals and business entities for allegedly favouring them in corruption cases, influencing intelligence reports and seeking favours.

The CBI’s FIR, accessed by The Sunday Express, cited the ED’s complaint, stating: “Qureshi has been indulging as a middleman for certain public servants and that analysis of records disclose commission of cognizable offence.”

While the CBI has cited purported Blackberry text messages (BBM) between Singh and Qureshi as evidence of “nefarious transactions”, Singh has denied any wrongdoing and said these were of personal nature and mostly occurred after he retired.

ED sources, however, said they have evidence which goes beyond the BBM messages. “While BBM messages show the kind of transactions the two had when Singh was in office, we also have intercepts that show the relationship between Qureshi and Singh was more than just of friendship, and there were transactions between the two and others that were not entirely above board,” said the ED official.

He said Singh, who was CBI chief from 2010 to 2012, would be called for questioning after the case is registered against him.

On May 15, 2014, The Indian Express had first reported on the purported BBM messages exchanged between Qureshi and Singh, based on the Income Tax probe.

Qureshi’s name also figured in the names of visitors who frequently met Ranjit Sinha at his residence and a CBI probe is underway in this case.