The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth ₹48.21 lakh of freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma in connection with a case under the Official Secrets Act.
“The attached asset is the residential property in the name of Rajeev Sharma at Pitampura in Delhi. The ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of the First Information Report and the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police against him under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Official Secrets Act,” said an official.
The ED probe purportedly revealed that Mr. Sharma had “supplied confidential and sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers, in exchange for remuneration, thereby compromising the security and national interests of the country”.
According to the agency, its investigation revealed that the remuneration to Mr. Sharma was being provided by a Mahipalpur-based shell company that was run by Chinese nationals, Zhang Cheng aka Suraj, Zhang Lixia aka Usha and Qing Shi, along with a Nepalese national named Sher Singh alias Raj Bohara.
“This Chinese company was acting as a conduit for the Chinese intelligence agencies to provide remuneration for persons like Rajeev Sharma...the remuneration was being paid in cash through carriers as well as through cash deposits. Rajeev Sharma also received money using the bank account of his friend in order to conceal his involvement in criminal activities,” the agency said.
In addition to cash, the accused also received remuneration in the form of foreign trips that were arranged by the Chinese intelligence agents, said the ED, which had arrested Mr. Sharma in July last year. He was later released on bail. A special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, on September 7, 2021, took cognisance of a chargesheet filed by the ED.
In its own case, the Delhi Police arrested Mr. Sharma in September 2020.