A Special Court (PMLA) in Punjab has sentenced Athar Sayeed, a cross-border drug trafficker, to three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. The court also ordered the confiscation of Rs 17 lakh, proceeds of crime detected by the probe agency. Sayeed was convicted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Jalandhar Zonal Office, initiated an investigation into the matter following an FIR registered by the Punjab Police under various sections of the NDPS Act, 1985. The ED investigation revealed Sayeed’s involvement in cross-border heroin trafficking, leading to the generation of Proceeds of Crime (POC). Sayeed was engaged in smuggling heroin, selling the contraband, and collecting drug money.
Earlier, searches were conducted at two locations on April 1, 2016, under the provisions of PMLA, 2002. Movable properties worth Rs 17 lakh, including cash seized from Sayeed, were attached in the case via a Provisional Attachment Order dated March 21, 2018. The Special Judge (PMLA), Jalandhar, stated in the sentencing order that failure to pay the Rs 10,000 fine would result in an additional three months of rigorous imprisonment.
In a separate ED probe related to Uttar Pradesh, a Special Court (PMLA) in Lucknow has acknowledged a charge sheet filed by the federal agency’s Lucknow Zonal Office. The charge sheet seeks the confiscation of properties worth Rs 45.92 lakh and the conviction of accused persons, including Dr. Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, Louise Khurshid (wife of Congress leader Salman Khurshid), and Mohammad Athar, for money laundering offenses. The probe revealed their involvement in misusing government funds distributed by the trust for personal gains.
