ED questions Chikoti Praveen Kumar for 11 hours

Hyderabad: Armed with a bunch of papers of technical evidence, a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials questioned casino organiser Chikoti Praveen Kumar, Madhav Reddy and others in connection with the hawala transactions on the pretext of casino events.

Around 10.45 am, Praveen Kumar along with his advocate entered the ED office located at Basheerbagh, holding the notice served by the agency and photocopies of his bank accounts. The questioning went on for 11 hours.

A team of ED officials started questioning Praveen Kumar and others separately in connection with their business activities, sources of income, properties purchased in Hyderabad and its surroundings, and money transactions made between Chikoti Praveen Kumar and others.

Sources said that even as the agency allowed Praveen Kumar's advocate inside the ED office, he was allegedly asked to sit away from the place where the questioning was taking place. The agency allegedly shot a number of questions in getting clues in connection with hawala transportation in which Praveen Kumar allegedly indulged on the pretext of organising a casino gambling session.

It was reported that the investigation agency tried to get clues about political leaders, Tollywood, Bollywood actors, and VVIP's involvement in hawala activities with the assistance of Praveen Kumar. The questioning has been concentrated based on WhatsApp chat, phone call data, and information kept on the laptop in connection with Praveen Kumar's regular activities.

The investigation agency is likely to serve notices some more persons having association with Praveen Kumar in connection with Hawala activities.