Rawat is a former forest minister of the state who quit the BJP ahead of the 2022 Uttarakhand assembly polls and joined the Congress
India on Wednesday summoned a senior US diplomat and lodged a strong protest against a US state department official's remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Ministry of External Affairs officials summoned the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena at its office in South Block here. The meeting lasted for more than 30 minutes. Reports had it that a US state department official had said that Washington "encouraged a fair, transparent and timely legal process for chief minister Kejriwal". The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam'. The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said that a change in the demeanour of people should not happen because of police or ED raids, but should happen from the heart and with a conscience. He was speaking at the 101st anniversary event of Lokmanya Seva Sangh, a Mumbai-based organisation set up to build a socially vigilant, disciplined, cultured and progressive society. "Organisations should pick various subjects to ensure social transformation. I have listed a few of them. Change in demeanour can also happen because of police standing (in the street) or to avoid ED (Enforcement Directorate) raid. We don't want that. It (change in behaviour) should be from the mind, Bhagwat said. The transformation should happen in the mind, and the intellect should accept it, Bhagwat said. It should happen not because someone else doing it, but should happen with a conscience. I feel it is the responsibility of every institution to introduce such reforms in the society," he said. Bhagwat said an ..
The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday hit out at the Enforcement Directorate, claiming the agency had no reply to the questions raised by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's lawyers in the High Court over his arrest. The party's reaction came after Kejriwal did not get immediate relief from the Delhi High Court, which refused to interfere with his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam'. The BJP, however, claimed that Kejriwal failed to get relief as the ED had "concrete" evidence against him and said that the last chapter of Kejriwal's "politics of deception" will start in the coming days. At a press conference, Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi said, "When Kejriwal's lawyers said before the court that the arrest by ED was illegal and unconstitutional and there was no evidence against him, the agency had no answer to this. "The ED which has been investigating the case for the last two years and has conducted raids at thousands
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to be produced before a Delhi court on Thursday on the conclusion of his Enforcement Directorate custodial remand. The federal probe agency had arrested Kejriwal last Thursday in connection with an excise policy-linked money laundering case. The next day, Special Judge Kaveri Baweja remanded him in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till March 28. The court remanded Kejriwal in the ED custody for six days after the agency pressed for his custodial interrogation for 10 days. The ED has accused the AAP leader of "being involved in the entire conspiracy of the Delhi liquor scam, in drafting and implementation of the policy, for favouring and benefiting the quid pro receiving kickbacks and eventually using part of the proceeds of crime generated out of the scheduled offence in the election campaign for the Goa Assembly elections". "The accused (Kejriwal) is hereby remanded to the custody of the ED till March 28 for his detailed and
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha arrested in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case spent her first night in Tihar jail and was served prison food, official sources said on Wednesday. According to the sources from Tihar jail, she spent her first night in a cell shared by two other female inmates in jail number six, which is a dedicated women's prison. "She ate dal and rice, which was also served to other inmates on Tuesday night, and Wednesday morning, she had tea with snacks," a jail source said. Kavitha was taken to Tihar jail on Tuesday evening after a Delhi court sent her to judicial custody till April 9 on the ED's plea that if released, the "highly influential" arrestee was likely to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence. "Following her medical examinations, she was directly sent to her cell. Her blood pressure was slightly low during the medical checkup but later it went back to normal," the source said. Kavitha was given a
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan, her IT company and some others to probe a case of alleged illegal payments made by a private mineral firm to her and the company, official sources said Wednesday. The agency has registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is expected to summon the people involved, the sources said. The ED case has been booked after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), an investigative arm of the Union corporate affairs ministry, they said. The case stems from an Income Tax Department investigation that alleged that a private company called Cochin Minerals And Rutile Ltd (CMRL), made an illegal payment of Rs 1.72 crore to Veena's company-- Exalogic Solutions-- during 2018 to 2019, even though the IT firm had not provided any service to the company. The Karnataka High Court had last mont
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged the Delhi High Court to order his immediate release from ED custody in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam', contending his arrest on the cusp of elections was against the basic structure of the Constitution. Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the AAP leader, argued that the "Object of the arrest was not to find material but to disable me and my party. My prayer is, release me now". Singhvi further claimed that there was no "necessity" to arrest Kejriwal, as mandated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and that the grounds of "non-cooperation" were the most abused by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who orally said she would issue a notice on the petition and grant time to the ED to file a reply to it, said she would pass an order in the matter and upload the same later in the day. Singhvi urged the court to grant interim relief in the meantime to
The Enforcement Directorate has issued fresh summons to TMC leader Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani for questioning in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention case on March 28, official sources said Wednesday. The 49-year-old Trinamool Congress leader was called for questioning earlier also by the central agency. Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December for "unethical conduct", has been renominated by her party from West Bengal's Krishnanagar seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had raided her premises in connection with the cash-for-query case on Saturday, days after anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal directed the federal agency to investigate the allegations levelled against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. Dubey, a Lok Sabha member, has alleged that Moitra asked questions in the House in exchange for cash and gifts from Dubai-based Hiranandani to mount an attack on industrialist Gautam Adani and
The government will not be run from jail, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena said on Wednesday in the backdrop of statements by AAP leaders that Arvind Kejriwal will continue as chief minister even if he is behind bars. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case and subsequently remanded to the agency's custody till March 28 by a court here. Speaking at the Times Now Summit, Saxena said, "I can assure the people of Delhi that the government will not be run from jail.
Sunita Kejriwal condemns her husband's arrest, says he will reveal truth about money in 'liquor scam' in court on March 28
Stressing that no money was found in multiple Enforcement Directorate raids, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita on Wednesday said her husband would do a "big expose" on the alleged excise policy scam in court on March 28. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener was arrested by the ED on March 21 in an excise policy-linked money laundering case and subsequently remanded to the agency's custody till March 28. Sunita Kejriwal in a digital briefing said her husband will reveal the truth on March 28 and also present evidence. "Despite two years of probe, the ED has not been able to find even one paisa in evidence. They raided chief minister's residence but got just Rs 73,000," she said. "My husband issued directions to Water Minister Atishi while in custody. The Centre had issues with it. Do they want to ruin Delhi?" Sunita Kejriwal asked, adding that her husband was very sad over the issue. She said Kejriwal was a brave and genuine person and his resolve was strong
The Enforcement Directorate says it got Delhi Chief Minister's petition just yesterday
Delhi High Court Acting Chief Justice Manmohan on Wednesday cautioned lawyers against staging protests on court premises against the arrest of Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, saying the consequences would be "severe". The Aam Aadmi Party's legal cell has called for a protest in district courts here on Wednesday following Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. "Consequences would be severe for organising protest in court. Courts cannot be withheld. Courts cannot be stopped. We cannot take away someone's right to approach the court," Justice Manmohan said. "If someone does it, they would do it at their own peril," he asserted. The issue was mentioned before a bench of the acting chief justice and Justice Manmeet P S Arora by advocate Vaibhav Singh who said that court premises cannot be used for political purposes. Justice Manmohan said he would take up the issue tomorrow, hoping that "sen
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at multiple locations in Punjab in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged guava orchards compensation "scam", official sources said. The ED case was registered after the federal agency took cognisance of a Punjab Vigilance Bureau FIR pertaining to alleged embezzlement of nearly Rs 137 crore released as compensation for guava orchards on land acquired by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA). The premises of some senior government officials and some private persons are being covered, the sources said. The Punjab Vigilance Bureau had arrested a number of people, including some horticulture department officials, in this case, they said.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday urged the Delhi High Court to grant it time to file reply to a plea by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the agency, said the "bulky" petition was served upon them only on Tuesday, and three weeks' time should be given to bring their stand on record. For interim relief as well, appropriate time should be given to respond, he said. Senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for the AAP leader, alleged that the request to file response was a delay tactic. Challenge is to the foundation of arrest and there are several "glaring issues" that need immediate decision by the high court either way, the senior lawyer added. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said she would take up the matter again after some time. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, who has sought his immediate release on account of the arrest a
Earlier on Tuesday evening, Sunita Kejriwal met with the Delhi Chief Minister at the office of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED)
The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy 2022, which was later scrapped
ED said that in its investigation, it has been revealed that CN Kuchroo, along with his associates, had registered various dummy entities and opened bank accounts in the names of employees
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