Added At:  2012-02-28 6:43 PM   Last Updated At: 2012-02-28 6:45 PM

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Money+laundering+accused+record+statements+in+court&NewsID=322336

KATHMANDU: The Special Court has begun the process of recording the statements of the accused including the wife of Niranjan Hojai, Sarita Giri on money laundering charges on Tuesday.

According to SC, the hearing would start on Wednesday, if the recoding process is completed today.

Hojai is the chief of Dima Haolam Daogah (Jewel faction) aka Black Widow, an Indian underground outfit.

Giri, the Nepali wife of Hojai, was arrested after it was found that she was assisting her Singapore-based husband’s finances of the outfit through hundi.

The Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DMLI) had filed a case against six people including Hojai and his wife Sarita, Raju Giri, Seti Giri, Ram Chandra Giri and Sita Giri as per the section 22(2) of the Assets (Money) Laundering Prevention Act, 2008, on Monday.

In the case, the DMLI has claimed that Hojai has been found to have possessed Rs. 8,634,747.01 of illegal money. It has also demanded punishment as per the section 30(2) of the Act and confiscation of the property. Niranjan Hojai is still at large.

Similarly, DMLI has claimed that the accused Sarita Giri has been also found to be in possession of Rs. 45,182,306.01 of illegal money.

It has also sought action against her as per the section 30(2) of the Act and confiscation of the property.

Likewise, DMLI has also charged Raju Giri, Seti Giri, Ram Chandra Giri and Sita Giri for allegedly assisting Hojai and Sarita Giri to hide the illegal property and sought action as per the section 30(5) and confiscation of the property as per the section 34 of the Act.

Police had also found that Hojai had procured a Nepali citizenship through forged documents.