The Enforcement Directorate has forwarded a letter of request, issued by the court, to the external affairs ministry to start a process of confiscating properties owned by rebel leaders of outlawed Dima Halim Daogah abroad.
Disclosing that ongoing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate has also revealed Chinese nexus of Niranjan Hojai, alias Nirmal Rai, commander-in-chief of DHD, security sources said that it was found that DHD chief was using a Nepali passport issued in the name of Nirmal Rai for his trip to Beijing.
In what has surfaced as another conclusive evidence against China encouraging secessionist activities in the north-eastern states of India, the Enforcement Directorate has found that Mr Hojai, currently languishing in judicial custody in Assam, travelled to China for three months on a visa issued on December 8, 2008 to March 2009.
However, the stamps on his passport also revealed that DHD leader frequently travelled to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and South Africa.
Pointing out that the ED has also forwarded the name of countries where the militant leaders, Mr Hojai and his chairman Jewel Garlosa, have acquired properties to the external affairs ministry for a quick disposal and timely action, security sources said that some of the properties have already been disposed off by these militant leaders in Nepal.
Security sources, however, refused to reveal the names of countries where DHD rebels acquired assets from proceeds, which they got through Hawala, violating the prevention of money laundering acts.
In December 2010, the directorate had registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, against 13 accused, including Mr Hojai and Mr Gorlosa, who were named by the National Investigation Agency in the multi crore-rupee fund diversion case of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council to the DHD(J) militants.
The investigations revealed that the militants with the help of their associates channelised crores of rupees, siphoned off from development funds meant for the N.C. Hills district, from Guwahati to Kolkata through Hawala operators. The funds siphoned off from the district council were used to procure arms and ammunitions.