New Delhi, Jan 31 : A court here on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah in a money laundering case.

Shabir Shah, with alleged hawala dealer Muhammad Aslam Wani, are facing trial in the money-laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate in September filed a chargesheet against the two under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Shah was arrested on July 25 on charges of money laundering in a case dating back to 2005 in which Wani, who was picked on August 6 this year, had reportedly confessed that he had passed on hawala money amounting to Rs 2.25 crore to him.

In the 2005 case lodged by the Special Cell, the court had acquitted co-accused Wani of the charges of criminal conspiracy and other offences but convicted him under the Arms Act, his defence counsel told the court.

The ED submitted that the Arms Act conviction was a triggering point to take action under PMLA. Both Shah and Wani have denied the charges against them.

IANS