Mumbai: Money transfer service providers such as Western Union and credit card payment gateways like VISA and MasterCard will now come under the purview of the anti-money laundering laws once an amendment bill moved in the Rajya Sabha finally becomes law.

Finance minister P Chidambaram tabled the bill to amend the 'Prevention of Money-Laundering Act' in the Rajya Sabha today.

The amendments form part of the measures recommended by the Administrative Reforms Commission in its sixth report presented last month to curb money-laundering.

The bill was introduced amidst din in the Rajya Sabha which was adjourned twice over the India-US civilian nuclear deal and the communal violence in various parts of the country.

Once the amendments to the bill are passed by Parliament and the law comes into effect, businesses like casinos would come under legal obligation to report their activities in the country.

The bill was introduced to include a new crop of offenders with cross-border operations and for fighting the menace of terrorism.

Under the bill, the Enforcement Directorate will be empowered to search the premises immediately after the offence is committed and the police has filed a report under the Code of Criminal Procedures.

It would also empower the investigating agency to freeze any property for up to a period of 90 to 150 days and search a person after completing the probe.

It will also enable the central government to return the confiscated property to the requesting country in order to implement the provisions of the United Nation's convention against corruption.

The bill was enforced in 2005 to prevent money laundering and to provide for attachment, seizure and confiscation of proceeds.