Federal financial investigators have intensified scrutiny over suspicious cross-border cash inflows in the border district of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Officials from the Jaipur zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate conducted detailed search operations at two separate premises in Jaisalmer on September 19. The enforcement action was undertaken under the legal provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, widely known as FEMA. During these premises searches, investigators seized numerous physical documents and digital data sets pointing to a prolonged, covert financial channel operating in the region.
Foreign Transfers Worth Rs 5.10 Crore Linked to Brussels Entity
Scrutiny of domestic banking transactions revealed that approximately Rs 5.10 crore in foreign currency had reached the personal bank accounts of a Jaisalmer resident named Deu Ram and his associate Gyan Chand over recent years. According to probe findings, a substantial portion of this money originated from an organization based in Brussels, Belgium, called 'Amar ASBL'. The investigators noted that this overseas capital entered domestic bank accounts without securing the mandatory clearance under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, or FCRA, in clear contravention of established regulatory frameworks.
Education and Family Maintenance Used as Covers for Inflows
To disguise the origin and intent of the international wire transfers, the handlers attributed the banking receipts to varied personal and charitable heads. Bank entry ledgers documented the receipts under heads like educational aid for children, schooling services, cultural functions, household upkeep, and private savings. However, field verifications revealed an absence of substantive evidence supporting any legitimate activities matching those descriptions. Instead, the overseas funds were channeled into operational expenses tied to the entity as well as direct personal expenditure by the account holders.
Unaccounted Cash Withdrawals Exceeding Rs 2.60 Crore Under Scrutiny
A closer audit of the banking ledgers highlighted significant cash withdrawals from the accounts operated by Deu Ram. Investigators found that out of the total inbound overseas money, nearly Rs 2.60 crore had been systematically withdrawn in hard cash. The handlers failed to provide proper financial ledgers, bills, or receipts explaining the utilization of this massive volume of liquid cash. The investigative team is presently mapping the secondary beneficiaries and tracing the actual destinations where these cash reserves were disbursed.
Belgian Entity Operated for Nearly 15 Years Without Indian Registration
Inquiries into the origins of 'Amar ASBL' revealed that the organization was established in Brussels, Belgium, back in 2011. The entity is managed by Belgian national Joseph Goffinet and his son Salien Goffinet. Despite running sustained operations on the ground in Jaisalmer for the past 14 to 15 years through local contacts Deu Ram and Gyan Chand, the organization never registered as a legal trust, society, or non-governmental organization in India. The sustained functioning of an unregistered foreign body in a sensitive border region has drawn serious concern from authorities.
Annual Visits, Local Assemblies, and Allegations of Inducements
The probe revealed that Joseph Goffinet and Salien Goffinet traveled from Belgium to Jaisalmer every year, maintaining extended stays lasting two to three weeks each time. During their stays, the duo regularly interacted with the parents and families of local children, convening private assemblies and socio-religious gatherings. The enforcement agency stated that these organized meetings were aimed at swaying the traditional beliefs and cultural practices of vulnerable local communities, indicating deliberate attempts to facilitate religious conversions under the pretext of social aid.
Proxy Bank Accounts Deployed After Initial Regulatory Blocks
When domestic commercial banks flagged the irregularities and froze further inbound international remittances into the accounts of Deu Ram and Gyan Chand, the operators adjusted their tactics. The probe uncovered that the network began utilizing personal bank accounts belonging to third parties in the locality to keep foreign money flowing. The Enforcement Directorate is now examining transactions across all such proxy accounts, mapping the full operational structure in Belgium, and evaluating the roles of other regional associates as the investigation progresses.
