Page 21 - Enforcement Directorate

ED gets MHA sanction to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case

The Union Home Ministry has granted sanction to the Enforcement Directorate to prosecute former Delhi chief minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy linked money laundering case, officials said. The federal agency has filed a chargesheet against the 56-year-old politician before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here last year after arresting him in March. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently granted the required sanction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for prosecuting Kejriwal under the anti-money laundering law in the Delhi excise policy case, officials said. The development comes ahead of the Delhi Assembly on February 5. Kejriwal has been made made an accused in his personal capacity as well as in the capacity of being the national convenor of his political party AAP. The former chief minister was called the "kingpin and key conspirator" of the Delhi excise "scam" by the ED. It was alleged that he acted in

Probe agencies left red-faced with court orders on 'illegal' arrests

A series of court orders here recently directing for the release of accused citing "illegal arrest" have come as a setback for probe agencies, with prosecution lawyers calling for a balanced approach while defence counsels insist on following norms. In most of these cases, the arrests were without "application of mind," a defence counsel claimed, while the prosecution lawyers batted for victims' rights. In December 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested six persons, including two IRS officers, in a bribery case, but a special court here denied the CBI custody of the accused after finding their arrest as "illegal" and ordered their immediate release. Over the last six months, several remand pleas of probe agencies, such as CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and local police, in courts here have met the same fate. In most cases, the defence's submission was centred around the probe agencies not following the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita provisions, like not maintaini

ED raids promoters of Tadoba Andhari tiger safari over alleged fraud

The Enforcement Directorate Friday said it has conducted searches against the promoters of a company that collects safari fee at a tiger reserve in Maharashtra for alleged fraud of Rs 12 crore with the state government. The raids were carried out between January 8 and 9 at seven premises in the adjoining districts of Chandrapur and Nagpur related to Abhishek Vinodkumar Thakur and Rohit Vinodkumar Thakur, owners of the company named Wild Connectivity Solutions (WCS), and their related entities, the federal agency said in a statement. WCS was engaged by the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, through a service-level agreement of December 2021, to provide uninterrupted services to visitors, including collecting entry fees, gypsy charges and guide charges, the ED said. "However, the company owners (Abhishek Vinodkumar Thakur and Rohit Vinodkumar Thakur) violated the terms of the agreement and cheated the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve Conservation Foundation to the extent of Rs 12.15 crore duri

Court cites several key fundamental lapses in arrest of ED official by CBI

A special court here has pointed out several critical fundamental lapses in the arrest of an ED official by the Central Bureau of Investigation over alleged bribery after ordering his immediate release. Rejecting the CBI's plea for transit remand of Vishal Deep, assistant director of Enforcement Directorate's Shimla unit, special judge B Y Phad has said that the allegations against him are not well founded. The CBI's Chandigarh unit arrested Deep from Mumbai on Tuesday on corruption charges stemming from the ED's probe against Himalayan group of professional institutions. The CBI claimed Deep demanded Rs 1.1 crore bribe from Himalayan group of professional institutions chairman Rajnish Bansal for not arresting him in a money laundering case being probed by the ED. The court gave the relief to Deep on Wednesday and a detailed copy of the order was made available subsequently. In his order, the special judge noted that the prosecution's failure to produce the case diary shakes its .

ED raids RJD MLA, others in Bihar cooperative bank 'fraud' PMLA case

The Enforcement Directorate Friday conducted searches in multiple states, including in Bihar on premises liked to an RJD MLA, as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged funds embezzlement at a state cooperative bank, official sources said. About 18 premises in Bihar, West Bengal (Kolkata), Uttar Pradesh and Delhi are being searched, they said. These include premises linked to RJD MLA and former Bihar minister Alok Kumar Mehta (58) who is the promoter of the Bihar-based Vaishali Shahri Vikas (VSV) Cooperative Bank apart from some other linked entities, the sources said. The money laundering investigation stems from some state police FIRs filed against the bank and its office-bearers for alleged embezzlement of funds worth about Rs 85 crore, they said. The RBI had carried out a verification of the bank and identified the alleged diversion of the bank funds, the sources said. Mehta is an MLA from the Ujiarpur seat of Bihar and is a senior politician of the Lalu

ED raids in BBMP an outcome of squabbling in BJP: Deputy CM Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the ED raids in the 'Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike' was an outcome of infighting in the BJP. The ED on Tuesday searched the offices of Engineer-in-Chief B S Prahlad and other engineers in the BBMP in connection with the borewells and Reverse Osmosis plants in the areas where Cauvery water connection has not been provided, sources in civic agency said. The raids were based on a complaint by a BJP leader and former BBMP Councillor N R Ramesh to the Anti-Corruption Bureau. The ACB later referred the case to the ED. "It's an internal fight in the BJP. A BJP leader had given a complaint against his own party MLAs because he was denied a ticket (to contest assembly election)," Shivakumar told reporters here. He said he had instructed the BBMP officials about one and a half years ago to be prepared for the possible raids and provide whatever documents the ED officials would ask for. "We will cooperate with them. There

Six fraudsters posing as ED officials loot Rs 30 lakh in Karnataka

A group of six unidentified individuals, posing as officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), allegedly raided a house in Bantwal town, Dakshina Kannada district, and fled with nearly Rs 30 lakh in cash, along with five mobile phones, police said on Saturday. The incident took place on the night of January 3. According to the complaint lodged by Mohammad Iqbal (27), a resident of Kolnadu and an agriculturist, the accused arrived at his residence at around 8.10 pm in a vehicle with a Tamil Nadu registration. Introducing themselves as ED officials, they claimed to have orders to search the house. After entering the premises, they confiscated five mobile phones from the family members before searching. "During the inspection, the accused allegedly took away Rs 25-30 lakh in cash that had been kept in a cupboard for business purposes. They reportedly told the family that keeping such a large sum of money at home was not permitted and threatened to arrest Iqbal," a senior police .

SC slams ED for 'inhuman' 15-hour interrogation in illegal mining case

The Supreme Court questioned the Enforcement Directorate's rationale behind the interrogation tactics, while also clarifying that its remarks were limited to bail proceedings, not the case's merits

ED conducts raids in Bengal over Rs 1,000 cr 'cyber fraud' in Tamil Nadu

Sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) started conducting raids at eight locations across West Bengal on Thursday in connection with its probe into cyber frauds involving over Rs 1,000 crore in Tamil Nadu, a senior officer said. Raids are underway simultaneously at five places in Park Street, Salt Lake, and Baguihati areas in Kolkata and in three other locations in districts, he said. During the raid in Salt Lake area, the ED sleuths detained a person for questioning, the officer said. "Our officers are now conducting raids at a flat in a high-end residential complex in Baguihati," he told PTI. Several people based in states in eastern India have been found involved in the crime, he added.

ED raids Chhattisgarh Cong MLA Kawasi Lakhma, son in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday conducted raids at the premises of Chhattisgarh Congress MLA and former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, his son and some others as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged liquor scam in the state, official sources said. They said a total of seven premises -- including Lakhma's residence in Raipur and his son Harish Lakhma's premises in Sukma district apart from that of some linked persons -- are being searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The Chhattisgarh Congress alleged the raids were part of a conspiracy by the BJP to harass the opposition party's leaders ahead of urban body and panchayat polls. Lakhma, 71, is a six-time MLA from Konta assembly seat and served as excise minister in the previous Congress government. Harish Lakhma is stated to be a panchayat president in his district. The ED sources said they are investigating allegations made by some "key accused" that Lakhma wa

ED summons BRS leader KT Rama Rao in money laundering case on Jan 7

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao and some others for questioning next month in a money laundering case linked to alleged payment irregularities during a Formula-E race held in Hyderabad in February 2023, official sources said on Saturday. The federal agency filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR) or FIR last week in the case under various sections of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), taking cognisance of a Telangana Police Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) complaint. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and son of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, Rama Rao has been asked to depose for recording of his statement on January 7, the sources said. Senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and retired bureaucrat and former Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) chief engineer BLN Reddy have been summoned on January 2 and January 3, respectively, they added. The probe against 48-year-old Ram

Why SC barred ED probe of 'lottery king' Santiago Martin's laptop, device

The Enforcement Directorate is investigating money laundering charges against Santiago Martin, who made headlines for being the largest political donor through electoral bonds between 2014-19

Probing role of Canadian colleges, entities in human trafficking racket: ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said it is investigating the "involvement" of some Canadian colleges and few Indian entities in a money laundering case linked to trafficking of Indians into the US from the borders of Canada. The investigation of the federal agency is linked to the death of a four-member Indian family, hailing from Dingucha village of Gujarat, who were killed due to extreme cold weather while trying to illegally cross the Canada-US border on January 19, 2022. The ED took cognisance of an Ahmedabad Police FIR against main accused Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel and some others to file its complaint under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Patel and others are alleged to have "hatched a well-planned conspiracy to send people (Indians) to the USA through Canada via illegal channels there by committing the offence of human trafficking". The agency's probe had earlier found that as part of this human trafficking racket, the accuse

AAP rejects claims of LG granting sanction to ED to prosecute Kejriwal

Aam Aadmi Party leaders in Delhi, including Chief Minister Atishi, on Saturday rejected claims that Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has granted sanction to the Enforcement Directorate to prosecute party supremo Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged excise policy scam. While no formal reaction was immediately available from the lieutenant governor's (LG) office on the issue, sources in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it is yet to receive the sanction to prosecute Kejriwal in the excise policy case linked to money laundering. "Reports of ED getting prosecution sanction (against Kejriwal) are false. Had the LG granted prosecution sanction, why isn't the ED showing its copy," senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who was also an accused in the excise policy case, asked in a statement. This is nothing but an attempt to divert attention from the "disrespect" shown by the BJP to Babasaheb Ambedkar, Sisodia alleged. Atishi claimed reports about LG granting prosecution sanction are being spread .

Delhi LG gives nod to ED to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case

On December 5, the Enforcement Directorate sought permission for sanction of prosecution against Arvind Kejriwal

Rs 14,131.6 crore recovered from Vijay Mallya's asset sales: FM Sitharaman

The Enforcement Directorate has restored assets worth Rs 22,280 crore to victims or rightful claimants from cases involving economic offences, the finance minister informed Lok Sabha

ED restored properties worth Rs 22,280 cr to legitimate claimants: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the Enforcement Directorate has restored properties worth Rs 22,280 crore to the victims or rightful claimants and asserted that the fight against economic offenders will continue unabated. Replying to a debate on the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants in the Lok Sabha, she said Rs 14,131.6 crore worth properties belonging to fugitive Vijay Mallya have been restored to public sector banks. As regards the Nirav Modi case, properties to the tune of Rs 1,052.58 crore have been restored to PSBs and private banks. In the Mehul Choksi case, properties worth Rs 2,565.90 crore have been attached and will be auctioned. In the National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) case, Rs 17.47 crore worth properties were restored to the genuine investors who were defrauded. "On the PMLA, ED has successfully restored properties valued at least Rs 22,280 crore from major cases... We have not left anyone, even if they fled the country, we've gone a

ED attaches properties worth Rs 2.73 crore in money laundering case

The restitution was made under the second proviso to Section 8(8) of PMLA (restitution pending trial) read with Rule 3A of PMLA Restoration of Property Rules

MP bizman-wife death: Suicide note mentions harassment by ED, BJP leaders

A purported suicide note recovered after the deaths of a businessman and his wife who hanged themselves in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district has led to a slugfest between the Congress and the ruling BJP. In the purported suicide note that surfaced on social media, businessman Manoj Parmar urged Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders not to leave his children alone and accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and BJP leaders of harassment. The Congress has claimed that Parmar and his wife were party supporters, and the ED harassed them over their political leanings. The couple's children had gifted their piggybank to Gandhi during his "Bharat Jodo (Nyaya) Yatra". Sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) Akash Amalkar said the suicide note received by the police was in the form of an application. He said the family members of the deceased couple were still in mourning, so the police have not recorded their statements. Talking to PTI, Amalkar said he cannot reveal more about the suici

ED restitutes assets worth Rs 4,025 cr in Bhushan Steel bank 'fraud' case

The ED has restituted assets worth Rs 4,025 crore of the erstwhile Bhushan Steel and Power Limited to JSW Steel following approval from the Supreme Court, the federal probe agency said on Saturday. JSW Steel was the successful resolution applicant to the assets of the insolvent company under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) of the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP). These assets were earlier attached by the federal probe agency under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in an investigation against Bhushan Steel and Power and its promoters on charges of alleged bank loan fraud and "diversion" of those funds for personal investments. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said the restitution of assets worth Rs 4,025 crore was made under Section 8(8) of the PMLA (restitution pending trial), read with Rule 3A of PMLA Restoration of Property Rules. The apex court gave its approval on this Enforcement Directorate (ED) proposal on Wednesday, the agenc