Meat exporter Qureshi made false claim to go abroad: I-T

Controversial hawala dealer Moin Akhtar Qureshi, an accused in a black money case, had made a false claim to go abroad, Income Tax Department told a city court on Thursday.

The Department sought modification of the bail condition of the meat exporter and said he should be directed to seek the court's prior permission before leaving India in future.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ajay Garg asked the counsel of Income Tax (IT) Department to file a proper application in this regard and listed the matter for April 7.

IT Department's standing counsel Brijesh Garg said that Qureshi's bail condition should be modified and, instead of just intimating the court about his foreign trip, he should be directed to seek the court's prior permission before leaving the country.

In October last year, Qureshi was stopped at the IGI Airport here following a look-out notice against him by the Enforcement Directorate which is probing a case of money laundering and violation of foreign exchange norms.

Qureshi was then allowed to go after he showed a court order saying he had to only inform the court for his foreign travel which he had done.

IT Department's prayer came in the backdrop of a plea filed Qureshi last year intimating the court that he wanted to visit the United Kingdom in October where his wife was undergoing treatment.

While verifying facts, the IT Department had received a communication from the passport office that Qureshi's wife, Nasreen Qureshi, was in India during that period.

While granting bail, the court had in March 2015 imposed condition on the accused that he should not leave the country without its prior permission. Later, it was modified to only an intimation.

He was summoned by the court in 2015 as an accused in a black money case filed by IT Department for allegedly not disclosing an income of nearly Rs 20 crore.