By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 25: Himachal Pradesh police have held two people on Monday in connection with Charlie Peng who was arrested earlier this month for masterminding a 1000-crore rupees hawala and money laundering racket in the NCR region.
The two identified as Sonam Wangdu (male) from Chauntra (Mandi) and Lan Hu (female), a Chinese from Bir (Kangra) had frequently travelled to foreign countries including Malaysia, reported Tribune on August 24. Sleuths have traced financial transactions between them and SK Traders (Hawala company) operated by Charlie Peng, who was held in 2018, by a joint team of central intelligence agencies and the Delhi Police special cell for impersonation and forgery.
“We had inputs of financial transactions between the two suspects and SK Traders and both Sonam Wangdu and Lan Hu have history of foreign visits and they are being questioned,” said DGP Sanjay Kundu.
State CM, Jai Ram Thakur said, “The case is being investigated and preliminary investigations pointed out that they were paid to track and report the movement of the Dalai Lama.”
Thakur added that security for the exiled Tibetan leader who resides in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala has been beefed up following the development. The Dalai Lama has not come out of his residence here since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Security agencies including the Intelligence Bureau are questioning the two detained and a joint probe is underway.
