Page 5 - Enforcement Directorate

ED raids multiple sites in West Bengal over sand smuggling racket

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday launched a series of coordinated raids in various locations of West Bengal, including Kolkata, targeting individuals and businesses that were found to be allegedly involved in a sand smuggling racket, a senior official said. Raids are being carried out in several areas, including Behala, Regent Park, Bidhannagar, and Kalyani, in connection with the scam, he said. The ED officials conducting the raids were accompanied by a large number of personnel of the central security forces. At the centre of the operation was Sheikh Jahirul, a prominent figure in the racket in Jhargram district of West Bengal. ED sleuths were conducting searches at his sprawling residence near Subarnarekha River in Gopiballavpur, he added. "Searches are underway at Jahirul's residence, office and vehicles. He is accused of being heavily involved in the illegal sand extraction and trade business," the official said. Incidentally, Jahirul, who owns several sand mines, h

ED attaches assets worth ₹6.34L in SIMI, IM linked terror funding case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday said it has attached fresh assets worth Rs 6.34 lakh as part of a money laundering investigation against banned terrorist groups SIMI and IM. The immovable properties that have been attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) belong to accused Raju Khan, the federal probe agency said in a statement. The money laundering case stems from an FIR filed by Chhattisgarh Police in Raipur against a man named Dheeraj Sao and some others under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The FIR alleged that certain bank accounts were being used to receive funds from unknown persons in India on the instructions of an entity named "Khalid of Pakistan", and the amounts received were being transferred to Zubair Hussain, Aysha Banu and Raju Khan, alleged members of banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Indian Mujahideen (IM). Sao, it was alleged by the ED, was engaged in "misusing"

WB minister Chandranath Sinha surrenders before ED in school jobs scam case

West Bengal minister Chandranath Sinha on Saturday surrendered before an Enforcement Directorate (ED) court here in connection with its investigation into alleged irregularities in primary school recruitment, an official said. According to sources in the central agency, Sinha, who is West Bengal's minister in charge of micro, small and medium enterprises and textiles, appeared before the special ED court in Kolkata earlier in the day and formally surrendered in compliance with court orders. The ED sought his custody, but the court granted him an interim bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000, subject to conditions, the official said. The court stated that although bail has been granted, Sinha will not be allowed to leave his assembly constituency or Kolkata for the time being. "He must cooperate with the investigation. These conditions must be followed until the hearings related to the case are concluded," the ED official said, quoting the court order. Sinha's legal counsel, when ..

ED questions Shikhar Dhawan for 8 hours in '1xBet' betting app probe

Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan was on Thursday questioned for around eight hours by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged illegal betting app-linked money laundering case, official sources said. He entered the office of the federal probe agency in central Delhi around 11 am and left after 7 PM. The agency recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of this investigation linked to an "illegal" betting app named 1xBet, the sources said. The 39-year-old former India opener is understood to have been linked to the app through certain endorsements. The ED wants to understand his links with this app during the questioning. The agency is probing multiple such cases involving illegal betting apps that are alleged to have duped numerous people and investors worth crores of rupees or have evaded a huge amount of taxes. Last month, former cricketer Suresh Raina was questioned in this case by the federal probe agency. More such sportspe

ED arrests COO of Capital Protection Force in ₹792 cr fraud case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Aryan Singh, Chief Operating Officer of M/s Capital Protection Force Pvt. Ltd., in connection with a massive Rs. 792 crore fraud linked to the company's "Falcon Invoice Discounting Scheme."Acting under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into M/s Capital Protection Force Pvt. Ltd., Amardeep Kumar, and others, the agency said on Wednesday.Aryan Singh was produced before the Special PMLA Court on Wednesday, and the Court has remanded him to 14 days' judicial custody.ED initiated an investigation based on three FIRs registered by the Economic Offence Wing, Cyberabad, wherein it was alleged that Amardeep Kumar, Capital Protection Force Pvt. Ltd. & others fraudulently cheated gullible investors on the pretext of high returns on their investments.ED investigation revealed that M/s Capital Protection Force Pvt. Ltd., in the name and style of 'Falcon ...

Online betting sites operated by K'taka Cong MLA gathered ₹2,000 cr: ED

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday alleged that online betting sites "operated" by arrested Karnataka Congress MLA K C Veerendra collected funds worth more than Rs 2,000 crore in a short span of time. It also claimed that Veerendra, the "prime accused" in a case linked to alleged cheating of public through illegal online betting, and his associates in Dubai were operating several gaming websites by using various gateways and fintech service providers for layering of funds and for masking their "illicit" activities as genuine e-commerce businesses. The federal probe agency had arrested the 50-year-old Chitradurga MLA late last month from Sikkim where he had gone on a business trip to lease a casino. He is currently in ED custody. The agency took Veerendra into custody after conducting searches against him, his linked persons, family members and some others in the case. The ED said in a statement that it conducted fresh searches in the case on Tuesday at Bengaluru and Challaker

ED issued first 'Purple Notice' from Interpol in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has secured the publication of its first Interpol-issued 'Purple Notice' in a trade-based money laundering case. The notice was issued by the Lyon-based global police body on August 21, the federal probe agency said in a statement. The 'Purple Notice' is one of eight types of notices published by Interpol. It provides its 196 member countries with information on modus operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals. "The publishing of the Purple Notice is an attempt of Enforcement Directorate at generating awareness and sensitising its global counterparts to these new emerging money laundering trends," it said. The probe, in which the notice was issued, pertains to an organised network of domestic and foreign shell entities engaged in "large-scale" laundering of funds under the guise of international trade. The conspirators exploited trade mechanisms and banking channels by under-invoicing imports, using sham

ED conducts raids on BPTP offices in Delhi-NCR in foreign funds probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday searched premises related to real estate company BPTP across the Delhi-NCR region as part of a foreign exchange violation case involving funds of about Rs 500 crore, official sources said. The multiple locations of the Faridabad-based Business Parks Town Planners Private Limited (BPTP) were searched under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), they said. The company could not be contacted immediately for a response on the ED action. A probe found that BPTP received foreign investment of more than Rs 500 crore under the "automatic route" from foreign companies based in Mauritius during 2007-2008 through put option/swap option in "contravention" of the existing FEMA rules and regulations, according to ED sources. They alleged that company CMD Kabul Chawla anonymously held foreign assets. Multiple FIRs registered against the company and its directors across various police stations in Delhi-NCR are a subject of the ED prob

TMC MLA acted as money collecting agent in WB teacher recruitment scam: ED

Arrested TMC MLA Jiban Krishna Saha, along with his associates, acted as an agent for collecting huge sums of money from "undeserving" candidates in exchange for jobs for the post of assistant teachers in West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged on Tuesday. The legislator from the Burwan constituency in Murshidabad district was taken into custody by the federal probe agency on Monday after searches were conducted at his residence. The raids also covered the premises of his associates and an alleged middleman named Prasanna Kumar Roy. A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court sent him to ED custody for 6 days on Monday. The probe pertains to alleged illegal appointments of Assistant Teachers (Classes IX-XII) in the schools of the West Bengal government, and this is alleged to have been done in criminal conspiracy with officials of the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (SSC). The Supreme Court, in April this year, cancelled the appointments of

ED raids premises linked to AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj, others in PMLA case

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted searches at premises linked to AAP leader and former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and others as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. Around a dozen locations in the national capital are being searched by the federal probe agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The investigation against Bharadwaj (45), former Delhi health minister, is understood to be linked to an Anti-Corruption Branch case into alleged corruption in health infrastructure projects by the previous AAP government. Further details are awaited.

TMC MLA caught while 'fleeing' as ED raids house over WB school job 'scam'

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted searches against West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress MLA Jiban Krishna Saha and some of his relatives as part of a probe into alleged irregularities in the hiring of teachers and staffers in schools, official sources said. The raids are being undertaken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the legislator from the Burwan Assembly segment in Murshidabad district. Some of the relatives and associates of the MLA are also being searched, the sources said. Saha was arrested by the CBI in 2023 for his alleged links to the "scam" and later released. The ED's money laundering case stems from an FIR registered by the CBI, which was directed by the Calcutta High Court to carry out investigations into alleged irregularities in the hiring of group 'C' and 'D' staff, assistant teachers of Classes 9 to 12 and primary teachers. The ED had earlier arrested former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, his alleged

ED arrests Karnataka MLA Veerendra in illegal betting racket case

The crackdown led to the recovery of nearly ₹12 crore in cash, including ₹1 crore in foreign currency, gold worth ₹6 crore, about 10 kg of silver, and four luxury cars

ED raids premises linked to Karnataka MLA, others in online gaming case

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted multiple searches at the premises linked to Karnataka Congress MLA K C Veerendra Pappy and some others as part of an online gaming and betting-linked money laundering case, official sources said. Pappy is a legislator from the Chitradurga assembly seat. The action is being undertaken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Premises linked to the MLA and some others are being covered in a case linked to online betting and gaming, the sources said.

IAS officer, builders misused power in high-value fraud case, says ED

Former Vasai-Virar civic chief Anil Pawar and three others, held in a money laundering case, demonstrated a "deliberate" misuse of administrative powers and financial system to perpetrate a high-value fraud, the Enforcement Directorate told a Mumbai court on Wednesday. "Hawala and angadia" channels were used to launder the proceeds of crime, not just within Maharashtra, but across other states too, the ED told the special court, which later sent the quartet, including two real estate developers, to jail a week after their arrest. The hawala system refers to an informal channel for transferring funds from one location to another. Hawala operations are deemed illegal cash transactions in India. Angadias are traditional couriers who offer their services to transfer cash, diamonds and jewellery for a fee. Besides IAS officer Pawar, Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) town planner Y Shiva Reddy and two builders -- Sitaram Gupta and Arun Gupta -- are the other accused in the ..

TMC accuses govt of bringing bills to let CBI, ED 'topple' state govts

Trinamool Congress MPs on Wednesday accused the government of bringing new bills to allow the CBI and ED to "directly topple" state governments. The remarks came as the government is planning to introduce three bills in Parliament on Wednesday for the removal of a prime minister, a Union minister, a chief minister or a minister of a state or Union Territory when arrested or detained on serious criminal charges for 30 days in a row. If any one of them is arrested and detained in custody for consecutive 30 days for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years, they will lose their job on the 31st day. These bills are the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025; the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025. Flaying the bills, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale charged that Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are looking for "new tricks" to topple state ...

ED raids Tamil Nadu Minister I Periyasamy, son in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday searched multiple premises linked to Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader I Periyasamy and his MLA son as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. The raids were undertaken in Chennai and Dindigul under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The premises of I P Sentilkumar, the son of the 72-year-old minister for rural development, panchayats and panchayat unions, were also searched, according to the sources. Periyasamy represents the Athoor assembly constituency in Dindigul district. There was no immediate comment from Periyasamy or the DMK on the ED action. The money laundering investigation stems from an April order of the Madras High Court, which directed a special court in Dindigul to frame charges against Periyasamy and his family members in connection with a Rs 2.1 crore "disproportionate" assets case. The order came in response to some criminal revision petitions filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and

Vasai-Virar ex-civic chief took bribes to protect illegal construction: ED

Former Vasai-Virar civic commissioner Anil Pawar, arrested in a money laundering case, took "substantial" bribe for turning a blind eye and not taking action against rampant illegal constructions in the twin-city, the Enforcement Directorate told a special court on Thursday. The IAS officer formed a "gang" involving senior officers and junior engineers, among others, soon after taking charge as the civic commissioner three years ago and charged "huge" commission for granting permissions for construction of buildings, the probe agency alleged. Pawar and three others, including two builders, arrested in the case were remanded to ED custody till August 20 by the court. Besides Pawar, Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) town planner Y Shiva Reddy and two builders -- Sitaram Gupta and Arun Gupta -- were arrested on Wednesday by the central agency in connection with the case linked to illegal constructions. They were produced before a special judge handling cases under the ...

ED freezes mule accounts worth ₹110 cr in PMLA case against Parimatch

The Cyprus-based betting platform is accused of duping investors with high-return promises, generating over ₹3,000 crore annually, and routing funds via mule accounts

ED questions Suresh Raina in alleged 'illegal' online betting app case

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina was on Wednesday questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged illegal online betting app-linked money laundering case, official sources said. Rains (38) was seen interacting with CISF personnel and Enforcement Directorate (ED) staff outside the agency's office in central Delhi before he marked his attendance at around 11 am. The federal probe agency recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of the investigation linked to a sports betting app (application) named 1xBet, the sources said. The former Indian cricketer is understood to have been linked to the app through certain endorsements. The ED wants to understand his links with this app, any endorsement fee earned and the mode of communication between the two parties, according to the sources. The agency had recently called representatives of Google and Meta for questioning as part of this probe. It also conducted multi-state searches on Tuesd

ED raids against UP realty group for ₹248 cr fraud with home buyers

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted searches against an Uttar Pradesh-based realty group as part of a money laundering probe against it for allegedly duping investors to the tune of Rs 248 crore, official sources said. At least eight premises in Lucknow and two in Delhi are being searched in the case against Rohtas Projects Ltd., the sources said. The action is being carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The money laundering case stems from as many as 87 FIRs filed by home/commercial space buyers since 2021 alleging they were duped and not given their properties. As per a forensic audit conducted by the UP RERA (Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority), the "proceeds of crime" in this case is Rs 248 crore, the sources said. The searches are being conducted with an aim to find evidence and the assets of the promoters for attachment as they are "absconding" since the last four years, the sources claimed. The promoters of th