Page 48 - Enforcement Directorate

Enforcement Directorate conducts fresh searches in Bihar sand mining case

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday conducted fresh searches in Bihar as part of a money laundering case investigation linked to alleged illegal sand mining in the state, official sources said. The searches are being conducted in an around Arrah town in Bhojpur district. The premises of a businessman and some linked persons are being covered, the sources said. The central agency last week arrested Subhash Yadav, a man allegedly linked to the RJD, in this case. The money laundering case stems from a clutch of 20 FIRs registered by the Bihar Police against a company named Broadsons Commodities Pvt Ltd (BCPL) and its directors alleging they were engaged in illegal mining and sale of sand without using e-challans. Bihar MLC and JD(U) leader Radha Charan Sah, his son Kanhaiya Prasad and directors of Broadsons Commodities like Mithilesh Kumar Singh, Baban Singh and Surendra Kumar Jindal were arrested by the ED last year and they are currently lodged in jail under judicial custody. A

Delhi court grants bail to CM Kejriwal in case of skipping ED summons

A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him for skipping summons in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra also allowed Kejriwal to leave the courtroom. "Offence being bailable, accused Arvind Kejriwal is admitted to bail," it said. The court further directed the ED to hand over documents related to the complaints to Kejriwal. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed two complaints before the magisterial court, seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in the case. The latest complaint pertains to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor not honouring summonses no. 4 to 8 sent by the federal probe agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had earlier moved the magisterial court seeking Kejriwal's prosecution

No link between ED raids and political donations to BJP: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday denied any link between the functioning of investigative agencies, including ED raids, and electoral funding to the ruling party, saying these allegations are just assumptions. "What if the companies gave the money, and after that, we still went and knocked at their doors through ED (Enforcement Directorate). Is that a probability or not...It is an assumption that the ED went and knocked at their doors, and to save themselves they came up with funds. The second assumption is that are you sure that they have given (electoral bonds) to BJP. What if they probably gave to regional parties," she said while speaking at India Today Conclave. The finance minister's comments came a day after the Election Commission of India published a list of subscribers of the electoral bonds and funds mobilised by various political parties. The list provided by State Bank of India, the issuer of electoral bonds, was published after the order of the Supreme ...

Excise policy scam case: Kejriwal moves sessions court challenging summons

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has moved a sessions court here challenging the summons issued to him by a lower court on two complaints filed by the Enforcement Directorate for evading its summons in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Syal is likely to hear Kejriwal's applications later in the day. Kejriwal moved the sessions court against orders passed by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra, who has directed Kejriwal to appear before the court on March 16. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed two complaints before the magisterial court seeking prosecution of Kejriwal for skipping multiple summons issued to him in the case. The latest complaint pertains to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor not honouring summons number four to eight sent by the federal probe agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED said. The ED had earlier moved the ...

ED carries out searches against ex-UP Minister Gayatri Prajapati, family

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday raided over a dozen locations in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra as part of an ongoing money money laundering investigation against former Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati and his family members, official sources said. A total of 14 premises in Lucknow and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Mumbai in Maharashtra are being covered. Raids are being carried out at Prajapati's house in Lucknow, the sources said. The money laundering case, filed by the ED in 2021, stems from an Uttar Pradesh vigilance department FIR against Prajapati and those linked to him on charges of illegal sand mining and possession of disproportionate assets among others. The central agency had in January attached four Mumbai flats and multiple land parcels in Lucknow, worth more than Rs 13 crore of Prajapati, his family members and associates. The action came after the ED conducted searches. Prajapati, while holding the post of mining minister of Uttar Prades

Several locations related to Sheikh Shahjahan in land-grabbing case raided

In January, the federal agency also conducted two separate raids on multiple locations on different dates in connection with the Public Distribution System (PDS) scam case, another case against Shahja

After ED raids, J'khand Cong MLA claims ignoring BJP's offer of LS ticket

The raids were conducted in connection with a complaint of money laundering filed in 2023 against the Congress MLA at the Ranchi zonal office of the central enforcement agency

ED raids against RJD family associate in homebuyer's funds fraud case

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided multiple premises in Delhi-NCR as part of a money laundering investigation against a realty and liquor group promoted by Amit Katyal, an alleged "close associate" of RJD chief Lalu Prasad's family, official sources said. Katyal was arrested by the central agency last year in the alleged railways land-for-jobs scam involving Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son and former deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, MP daughter Misa Bharti and some other children. A total of 27 premises of Haryana-based Krishn Buildtech Pvt Ltd in Delhi, Gurugram and Sonipat are being searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. The company is promoted by Amit Katyal and Rajesh Katyal. The probe pertains to alleged siphoning of homebuyer's fund worth Rs 400 crore by the promoters of the company and parking them abroad, they said. The agency alleged that Amit Katyal sent more than Rs 200 crore of homebuyer's funds to Sri ...

Money laundering case: ED raids J'hand Cong MLA Amba Prasad, linked persons

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday carried out searches against Jharkhand Congress MLA Amba Prasad and some others allegedly linked to her as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. About 17-18 premises in Ranchi and some other cities of the state were being covered, the sources said. The 36-year-old legislator represents the Barkagaon assembly seat in Hazaribag district. A clutch of FIRs related to alleged illegal sand mining, extortion and some other crimes have formed the basis of the ED action being undertaken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.

Sandeshkhali ED attack case: CBI summons close aides of Shahjahan Sheikh

The CBI has summoned nine close aides and associates of suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh to appear before the agency on Monday, officials said. The agency suspects that these nine individuals were allegedly part of the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on January 5 and instigated the crowd to target the team when they went to raid the premises of Sheikh at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, they said. Sheikh, whose role in the attack is under probe, is under the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till March 14, the officials said. The CBI has taken over investigation in three cases related to incidents on January 5 when ED officials were attacked by an around 1000-strong mob when they went to search the premises of Sheikh in connection with the agency's investigation into an alleged ration distribution scam case, in which a former minister of the state has been arrested. Sheikh was arrested by the state police on February 29, a day after the high cou

BJP govt 'misusing' ED to create fear among Oppn leaders: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government was misusing agencies like the Enforcement Directorate to create fear among opposition leaders and called the ED "supporting party" of the BJP. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar cited figures of the ED's actions between 2005 and 2023, claiming it registered 5,806 cases and only 25 of them have been disposed of. "The disposal rate is 0.42 per cent and the conviction rate is just 0.40 per cent. The ED's budget has gone up from Rs 300 crore in 2022 to Rs 404 crore," the former Union minister further claimed. "Between 2005 and 2023, two governments were in power, including the UPA of which we were also a part. During the UPA regime, the ED investigated 26 leaders, of whom five were from the Congress and three from the BJP. It shows that during the UPA regime ED's action was not politically motivated, but after 2014, not a single BJP leader has been questioned," Pawar said. These figures raise a .

Sandeshkhali unrest: Court extends Shajahan Sheikh's CBI custody by 4 days

A court in West Bengal's Basirhat on Sunday extended the CBI custody of Shajahan Sheikh, key accused in a mob attack on ED officials at Sandeshkhali, by another four days on a prayer by the central agency. The Central Bureau of Investigation got custody of Sheikh on March 6 along with transfer of investigation on an order of the Calcutta High Court. Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were attacked when they went to raid the now suspended Trinamool Congress leader's premises at Sandeshkhali. The judge of the Basirhat court in North 24 Parganas district granted extension of Sheikh's custody to CBI by four days on a prayer by the central agency. The court directed that Sheikh be produced before it again on March 14. Sheikh was produced before the Basirhat court, around 70 km away from Kolkata where he is in CBI custody, under tight security. ED officials were attacked by an around 1000-strong mob when they went to search the premises of Sheikh at Sandeshkhali on January 5 in ...

ED nabs man in Patna in money laundering case linked to illegal sand mining

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Subhash Yadav, a man allegedly linked to the RJD, in Bihar's Patna in a money laundering case related to alleged illegal sand mining, official sources said on Sunday. The premises of Yadav and some others were being searched since Saturday as part of a case registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Yadav was arrested late on Saturday night and nearly Rs 2.3 crore cash was seized from various premises, the sources said. Half a dozen premises were searched by the central agency in and around Patna. Yadav is alleged to be involved in sand mining in Bihar and had contested elections on an RJD ticket in the past, according to the sources. The money laundering case stems from some FIRs registered by Bihar Police.

ED raids residence of Subhash Yadav, close aide of RJD supremo Lalu

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday raided multiple locations in Patna as part of an alleged illegal sand mining linked money laundering case, official sources said. The premises of a person identified as Subash Yadav are being searched as part of a case registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. About seven premises are being searched by the central agency in and around Patna, they said. Yadav is said to be involved in sand mining in Bihar and has contested election on an RJD ticket earlier, they said. The money laundering case stems from some FIRs filed by the Bihar Police earlier.

ED attaches assets worth Rs 367 crore in Bhushan Steel 'bank fraud' case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has attached immovable assets worth Rs 367 crore in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and some cities in Odisha as part of a money-laundering probe linked to an alleged bank-loan fraud against Bhushan Steel Limited (BSL). A provisional order has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach the assets that were held "in the name of benamidars/shell entities through dummy directors so as to conceal them and to ensure that they are out of the reach of law enforcement agencies", the ED has said in a statement. After completing the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP), BSL was taken over by Tata Steel Limited in 2018. The ED has accused BSL, its managing director Neeraj Singal and associates of forming "several shell companies". "They rotated funds from one company to another through a chain of multiple entities. The funds were circulated to infuse capital, buy property and for other personal purposes not ...

Delhi HC denies default bail to Supertech chairman in money laundering case

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea by R K Arora, the chairman and promoter of real estate major Supertech Group, seeking default bail in a money laundering case. The high court rejected Arora's contention that on the date of filing of the prosecution complaint (charge sheet) the investigation was incomplete as the chargesheet was not accompanied by FSL report and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued summons to another person in the case after filing the prosecution complaint. The respondent (ED) has already submitted the requisite documents for obtaining expert opinion from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). Preparation of the FSL report is not in the control of the investigating agency, though it can take steps for expediting the process. It is the categorical stand of the respondent that the investigation against the present petitioner is complete. Mere issuance of summons to another person or seeking leave of the court to file additional evidence, without there

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.

Delhi court summons CM Kejriwal on March 16 after fresh complaint by ED

A Delhi court on Thursday issued summons to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on a fresh complaint by the ED for evading its summonses in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam, saying there were "sufficient grounds" for proceeding against him. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra directed Kejriwal to appear before the court on March 16. The judge passed the order on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) complaint seeking prosecution of Kejriwal for repeatedly evading summonses on January 12 and 31 and February 14. The judge observed that under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the person summoned is bound to comply, and the law enables prosecution of those who don't. Thus, as per the mandate of the Act, the respondent/ proposed accused was legally bound to comply with the summons but allegedly he failed to do so. In view thereof, the complaint accompanied by the supporting documents discloses all the necessary ...

Money Laundering case: ED raids premises of SP MLA Irfan Solanki in Kanpur

The ED on Thursday raided premises linked to Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki and some of his family members in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. The premises of the incarcerated four-time MLA from Sisamau and others are being raided under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA, the Enforcement Directorate sources said. Solanki (44) has been lodged in the Maharajganj prison since December 2022 in connection with several criminal cases. The MLA and his brother Rizwan were arrested for allegedly harassing a woman and setting her house on fire in a bid to grab her plot. They had surrendered before police. Later, police slapped the UP Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act against them and three others.

Court directs CM Kejriwal to appear before it after fresh complaint by ED

A Delhi court on Thursday issued summons to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on a fresh complaint by the ED for allegedly evading its summonses in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra directed Kejriwal to appear before the court on March 16. The Enforcement Directorate filed the complaint before the court on Wednesday, seeking prosecution of Kejriwal for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in the case. The latest complaint pertains to the Aam Aadmi Party national convenor not honouring summonses number 4 to 8 sent by the federal probe agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED said. The ED had earlier moved a local court seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for not attending the first three summonses issued to him in the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.