- Indian Express says RAW funds were routed to MQM through Muhammad Anwar, claims party individuals received $ 1.5 million remittances through Dubai’s RAK Bank from Jasmine Valley General Trading
Following BBC claims of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) receiving funding from the Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Indian newspaper The Indian Express has claimed of receiving documents which were provided to Scotland Yard by MQM leaders.
Further details of London-based MQM activist Tariq Mir’s statement has been surfaced in which he has said that the Indian funds were routed through Muhammad Anwar — the second most influential figure in the MQM’s all-powerful London secretariat — to its chief, Altaf Hussain.
“I do not know how much they gave us,” police recorded Mir as saying. “It went to Hussain. At some stage, our expenses (for the secretariat) were about £ 100K. I was aware of a significant increase in the funding as a result of the Indian connection.”
The Indian newspaper alleges that one of the Pakistani officials has claimed that individuals linked to the party received multiple remittances through Dubai’s RAK Bank from one Jasmine Valley General Trading through 2011, 2012 and 2013, totaling just under $ 1.5 million. The fact that Jasmine Valley has Indian nationals as owners, the source alleged, meant that it could be a RAW front.
However, the public record shows that Jasmine Valley, far from being an entity fronting for Indian intelligence, is itself being prosecuted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. The DRI, in 2001, filed charges against multiple entities linked to Jasmine Valley, saying the firm was used to under-invoice imports from Italy, China and Spain to avoid Customs duties.
“It seems to be one of many similar shell companies in Dubai that engage in dubious financial practices,” an Indian government source familiar with the case said. “There are lots of firms in the Emirates that will move money around for you for a fee.”
According to the report published by The Indian Express, several phone calls were made to numbers listed in Dubai business directories for Jasmine Valley, but they were all either switched off, or did not respond.
No email address is listed for Jasmine Valley in any of six business directories this newspaper searched; only a post box address is available.
When contacted by The Indian Express, Anwar did not respond to requests for a comment.