Page 8 - Corruption

DC, SSP to be held responsible for any corrupt, illegal activity: Punjab CM

In a strict instruction to senior officers, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said if any official is found to be involved in corrupt or illegal activity then the deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police of that district will be held responsible. Mann also announced to open a 'mukh mantri sahayta kendra' (chief minister help centre) in each district to facilitate people in getting their works done in a time-bound manner. The chief minister on Monday held a meeting with all deputy commissioners of the state here. Addressing the media after the meeting, Mann said the development works got affected because of the Model Code of Conduct. He said the Model Code of Conduct remained in force for more than two months due to the Lok Sabha polls. Mann said that he gave instructions in the meeting to the deputy commissioners to ensure completion of the pending works. He also gave strict instructions to the deputy commissioners to ensure that no one should face

B'desh court indicts Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on embezzlement charges

A special judge's court in Bangladesh indicted Wednesday Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and 13 others on charges in an over USD 2 million embezzlement case. Yunus, 83, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for pioneering microcredit to help impoverished people, especially women, pleaded not guilty and is out on bail for now. He told reporters that authorities were harassing him and other colleagues and denied being involved in any corruption. In a packed Dahka courtroom, Special Judge in Dhaka Syed Arafat Hossain dismissed petitions seeking the charges which centres around Yunus' non-profit Grameen Telecom to be dropped. The prosecution has accused Yunus and the others of embezzling 250 million takas (about USD 2 million) from the workers welfare fund of Grameen Telecom, which owns 34.2 per cent of the country's largest mobile phone company, Grameenphone, a subsidiary of Norway's telecom giant Telenor. They are also accused of money laundering. Hossain, the judge, said th

Corrupt but 'kind' Gujarat officials allow victims to pay bribes via EMI

In 2023, the Gujarat Police had the highest reported instances of bribery for the fifth consecutive year since 2019

Deputy Russian military chief of staff jailed for large-scale bribery

A deputy chief of the Russian military general staff has been arrested on charges of large-scale bribery, Russian news reports said Thursday, the latest in a series of bribery arrests of high-ranking military officials. The arrest of Lt Gen Vadim Shamarin followed the arrest this week of Maj Gen Ivan Popov, a former top commander in Russia's offensive in Ukraine, also on bribery charges. In April, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested for bribery. Ivanov was a close associate of Sergei Shoigu, whom President Vladimir Putin dismissed as defense minister soon after Putin's inauguration to a new term in May. Lt Gen Yury Kuznetsov, head of the defense ministry's personnel directorate, was arrested on bribery charges two days after Shoigu was replaced. Shamarin is also the head of the defense ministry's main communications directorate. He is being held in custody for two months, Russian news agencies cited a military garrison court as saying, but other details of the case we

JMM-led coalition tarnished J'khand's image due to corruption, alleges Teli

The JMM-led ruling coalition in Jharkhand has tarnished the state's image due to its record in corruption, Union minister Rameswar Teli has alleged. Teli also claimed that the Jharkhand government has no achievements to show during its tenure except loot of mineral in connivance with senior officials. The JMM-Congress-RJD combine has tarnished the image of the state, setting a record in corruption, the Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a release. Criticising the INDIA bloc, Teli said opposition parties are making big announcements and promises in the wake of the Narendra Modi government's action against leaders involved in corruption. The efficient leadership of Modi, his policies and achievements will lead the BJP to win all the 14 parliamentary seats in Jharkhand, he asserted. The minister also said that the Centre was not getting support from state governments over its proposal to bring petrol and diesel under the purview of GST. PM Modi wishes to

S Africa polls: How Mandela's once revered ANC lost its way with scandals

For years, the African National Congress rose above politics in South Africa. It was a movement dedicated to freeing Black people from the oppression of white minority rule and to the lofty principle of democracy, equality and a better life for all South Africans. It was widely revered as a force for good under Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for his opposition to the apartheid system of racial segregation. But 30 years after the ANC transformed from a liberation organisation to a political party in government at the end of apartheid in 1994, it faces growing dissatisfaction from South Africans who feel it has failed to live up to its promises. South Africans will vote on May 29 in a national election that could be the biggest rejection yet of the ANC, which has governed one of Africa's most important countries largely unchallenged since it led the fight to bring down apartheid. Now, the ANC is for many a byword for graft and failed government. Here's how the famous pa

SC protects ex-NOIDA engineer Yadav Singh from CBI arrest for corruption

The Supreme Court on Thursday protected former Noida Authority chief engineer Yadav Singh from arrest by the CBI in a corruption case in which he allegedly executed 1,280 maintenance contracts worth Rs 954 crore in eight days in December 2011. A bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Prasant Kumar Mishra took note of the submissions of senior advocate NK Kaul, appearing for Singh, that a bailable warrant has been issued against the accused after the central probe agency filed a supplementary charge sheet against him in the case. The bench has now posted the plea for hearing after four weeks. The senior lawyer said the top court had granted him bail following his over three year incarceration in the case and he now apprehends fresh arrest in the wake of the filing of the fresh supplementary charge sheet. There shall be no coercive action against the petitioner, the bench said while issuing notice to the CBI on Singh's fresh plea for bail. The top court had granted Yadav Singh

LS polls: Crackdown on corruption to continue, says PM Modi in Bihar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday vowed to continue with his government's crackdown on corruption, notwithstanding allegations of misuse of central agencies from the opposition. Addressing an election rally in Hajipur Lok Sabha constituency of Bihar, Modi said the money recovered in raids against politicians belonged to the country's poor. I will tell you why they are crying hoarse against the action of agencies like the ED. During the previous Congress regime, the ED seized only Rs 35 lakh, which could be contained in a school bag. Ever since we took over, the agency has recovered Rs 2,200 crore, which would require 70 small trucks to be carried, said the PM. Modi said unlike his opponents, who were concerned about promoting their offspring, I have no waaris' (successor). The common people are my waaris. He reiterated the charge that parties like the Congress and RJD, which allowed extortion and kidnapping to flourish while in power, will give away reservations to Muslims to

Jharkhand bearing brunt of migration, lawlessness, corruption: Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday alleged that Jharkhand was bearing the brunt of rampant corruption, migration and lawlessness, and a change in governance was the need of the hour in the state. Sitharaman, speaking at an event here, also said that allegations of step-motherly treatment towards Jharkhand were baseless. Eastern India can become the engine of growth for the country with the restoration of industries, she said. Jharkhand used to feature among the top five states in ease-of-doing business. But now, jungle raj' prevails here. The state will attract more investment if law and order improves... Change in governance is the need of the hour in Jharkhand, the minister said. The allegations (of the opposition) about step-motherly treatment towards the state by the prime minister are baseless... Jharkhand was allocated a record Rs 7,200 crore for rail projects in the 2024-25 budget, she added.

PM Modi to Congress: How much black money did you get from Adani-Ambani?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked if the Congress had received huge sums of money from Ambani-Adani since Rahul Gandhi stopped attacking them suddenly

ED recovers 'unaccounted' cash in raids from Jharkhand minister's aide

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday claimed to have recovered a huge amount of "unaccounted" cash during searches of premises allegedly linked to an aide of a state minister, official sources said. Video footage shared by the sources showed wads of currency notes spread in a room that is alleged to be of the domestic help of the private secretary of rural development minister Alamgir Alam. ED sources said the cash was being counted to ascertain the exact amount. The searches are linked to a money laundering case against the former chief engineer of the rural development department, Virendra K Ram, who was arrested by the ED last year.

BJP a 'washing machine' clearly at full spin in Goa, alleges Congress

The Congress on Saturday accused the BJP of accommodating corrupt leaders and taking no action in cases against them once they join the ruling party. The allegations came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned in Maharashtra and ahead of his rally in Goa. It also raised the plight of onion farmers and giving clearance to projects to select corporate groups, asking if the prime minister is working for the people or his "crony businessmen friends". In a post on X, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the BJP's deluxe brand washing machine has been reserved for Goa. Having orchestrated mass defections twice in the last five years, the BJP's disregard for democratic values has been on full display in the state, he alleged. "How fast is the BJP washing machine spinning in Goa," he asked, questioning why action against two former chief ministers accused of graft "stalled" after they switched over to the ruling party. Before switching over to the BJP, one former chi

Why are CBI, ED not interested in CAG reports on corruption: Pawan Khera

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday questioned probe agencies for not looking into CAG reports that he claimed had made allegations of corruption against the Union government. Addressing a press conference here, Khera, the Congress' national spokesperson, claimed CAG reports contained "serious allegations" of irregularities in infrastructure works like the Bharatmala Pariyojana, the Dwarka Expressway, all of which are part of the Union ministry of road transport and highways headed by Nitin Gadkari. Gadkari is the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha candidate from Nagpur. He won the seat with huge margins in 2014 and 2019. Khera alleged the ministry had issued bonds worth Rs1 lakh crore without approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. He also claimed the National Highway Authority of India, which functions under the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, had taken huge loans "without application of mind", while its cost of construction had doubled. "Where is

Not 'save democracy' but 'save family', hide corruption: BJP on Oppn rally

The BJP on Sunday slammed the opposition INDIA bloc's rally at Ramlila ground here, saying it is not a "save democracy" meeting as projected but a "save family" and "hide corruption" rally. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi cited corruption cases of a host of leaders, including those from the Congress, DMK and the RJD, to assert that all these charges date back to pre-2014 period amid the opposition's accusation that the Modi government is implicating them in graft probes due to its political vendetta. Ramlila ground once hosted "India against corruption" movement under the leadership of Anna Hazare, Trivedi said, adding that it is hosting on Sunday a rally for "everybody with corruption". People who trashed many leaders as thieves and crooks have joined hands with them, and it is a strange and startling sight, he said, in an apparent reference to the coming together of the Aam Aadmi Party with other opposition parties. Their leader is now Lalu Prasad Yadav, a convict in several .

Singapore's Indian-origin ex-minister faces charges for alleged corruption

Singapore's Indian-origin former Transport Minister S Iswaran on Monday was slapped with eight fresh charges in the alleged case of corruption taking the total charges that he now faces to 35. Iswaran, 61, pleaded not guilty to the new charges. The development comes barely a week after he returned to Singapore from a court-approved trip to Australia, which was extended due to his illness. The eight new charges are under Section 165 of the Penal Code and include allegations that he obtained valuable things, including bottles of whisky, golf clubs and a Brompton bicycle from a man called Lum Kok Seng, reported Channel News Asia. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a separate statement on Monday that the items have a total value of SGD 18,956.94 (USD14,080). The transactions occurred when Iswaran's official function as then-Transport Minister dealt with the business Lum had with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) through his company Lum Chang Building ...

ED raids multiple locations in Kolkata over teacher recruitment scam case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday morning started conducting searches at multiple locations in Kolkata and its neighbouring areas in connection with its probe into the teacher recruitment scam in West Bengal, officials said. A five-member ED team was conducting searches at the residence of a former para-teacher, alleged to be a close associate of arrested former state education minister Partha Chatterjee, at Patharghata Mazar Sharif area in New Town adjoining Kolkata, they said. Searches were also underway at the house of an accountant in Nagerbazar area in the northern part of the city, the officials said. ED searches were conducted in Rajarhat area at the residences of some businessmen, teachers, and intermediaries allegedly involved in the scam. The ongoing raids are part of the ED's probe to track the flow of money in the multi-crore scam.

Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif's sons to surrender in 3 corruption cases on Mar 12

The counsel informed the judge that the sons are residents of Saudi Arabia and the UK, respectively, and were nominated as accused persons in these references along with the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif

Nagpur Outer Ring Road corruption: CBI arrests NHAI GM, DGM in bribery case

The CBI arrested two senior NHAI officials, General Manager Arvind Kale and Deputy General Manager Brijesh Kumar Sahu, and four others on Sunday in a bribery case involving an amount of Rs 20 lakh related to the Outer Ring Road Project in Maharashtra's Nagpur, officials said. Kale, a National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director in Nagpur, and Sahu, a project director in Madhya Pradesh's Harda, were arrested by the CBI along with the directors of Bhopal-based Bansal Construction Works Private Limited -- Anil Bansal and Kunal Bansal -- and employees of the firm Chhater Singh Lodhi and C Krishna, the officials said. "The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out searches at five locations in Bhopal and Nagpur on Sunday, including residential and official premises, and recovered Rs 1.1 crore in cash, including the bribe amount of Rs 20 lakh," a spokesperson of the federal agency said in a statement. In its FIR in the matter filed recently, the CBI booked 11 peopl

Banks form special panel to address corruption cases, guard executives

The committee will include representatives from three state-run banks and be led by former CBI Special Director DC Jain

Here's list of 10 most corrupt countries in the world; India ranks 93

The global average of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 2023, as reported by Transparency International, remained unchanged at 43 for the twelfth consecutive year