Page 55 - Enforcement Directorate

Civic jobs scam: ED conduct raids at residences of WB minister, TMC leaders

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday morning conducted raids at the residences of West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose, TMC MLA Tapas Roy and former North Dumdum Municipality chairman Subodh Chakraborty in connection with its probe into the irregularities in recruitments in civic bodies. Accompanied by central forces, ED officers conducted raids at two residences of Bose in the Lake Town area in North 24 Parganas district early Friday morning, he said. The central agency officers also raided Tapas Roy's BB Ganguly Street residence and Chakraborty's residence in Birati, he said. "We are conducting search operations at the residences of three TMC leaders in connection with the recruitments in civic bodies. We are also talking to the leaders," the officer told PTI.

Calcutta High Court dismisses PIL petition after attack on ED officers

The HC concluded that the ED had the technical expertise and power to protect its officers and was not 'helpless'

ED summons Farooq Abdullah for questioning in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday for questioning in a money laundering case, official sources said on Wednesday. The 86-year-old politician is understood to have been called in connection with the federal agency's investigation into alleged irregularities in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA). The MP from Srinagar Lok Sabha seat was charge-sheeted by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case in 2022. The case relates to siphoning off the funds of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association by way of transfer to various personal bank accounts of unrelated parties, including those of JKCA office bearers, and by way of unexplained cash withdrawals from JKCA bank accounts, the ED had said. The agency's case is based on a 2018 charge-sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the same accused. The summons have asked Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, to depose at

Attack on ED officers explosion of public grievance, says Bengal minister

West Bengal minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay on Tuesday courted controversy with his comments that the recent attack on ED officers during a raid in North 24 Parganas was a result of explosion of public grievance. Chattopadhyay, the state's agriculture minister, also claimed that such attacks will take place in other parts of the country, too, where probe agencies conduct raids. We have seen the explosion of public grievance at one place in the state Such incidents will happen at other places in India as well in future, he said at a programme. Three ED officers were injured and several of their vehicles vandalised, as hundreds of supporters of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh attacked them on January 5, when the team went to conduct a raid at his house in Sandeshkhali in connection with alleged irregularities in the state's ration system. Chattopadhyay also claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has unearthed scams worth several crores of rupees in the present BJP-led regi

ED files chargesheet in Waqf Board case involving AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday filed a charge sheet in a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of staff and leasing of assets of the Delhi Waqf Board during the chairmanship of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, official sources said. A total of five entities have been named in the prosecution complaint (charge sheet) that includes three alleged associates of Khan-- Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir and Jawed Imam Siddiqui-- who were arrested by the central agency in November 2023, apart from some others, they said. Khan, the 49-year-old legislator who represents the Okhla constituency in the Delhi assembly, has not been named as an accused. The agency, after conducting raids against Khan and some others in October last year, had claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA acquired "huge proceeds of crime" in cash from illegal recruitment of staff in the Delhi Waqf Board and invested these for purchasing immovable assets in the name of his associates. Th

Railways land-for-jobs linked money laundering case: ED files charge sheet

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday filed its first charge sheet in the railways land-for-jobs linked money laundering case, naming former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and her MP daughter Misa Bharti. An alleged "close associate" of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's family Amit Katyal, some other individuals and companies have been named in the prosecution complaint (charge sheet), they said. The charge sheet has been filed before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi and the court has listed the matter to be heard on January 16, the sources said. Katyal was arrested in this case by the ED in November last year while Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son and Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav were summoned by the agency but they have not yet deposed. The alleged scam pertains to the period when Prasad was the railway minister in the UPA-1 government. It is alleged that from 2004 to 2009, several people were appointed to Group "D" positions in various zones of th

ED chief to meet team members in Kolkata today over Sandeshkhali attack

Enforcement Directorate chief Rahul Navin is scheduled to hold a meeting with its officers here on Tuesday over the attack on an ED team during a raid in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district last week. The ED unit in the state has already submitted a report to its headquarters about the incident in which three officers were injured and several of their vehicles vandalised, as hundreds of supporters of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh attacked them on January 5 when the team went to conduct the raid. "The head of the ED will chair a meeting regarding the attack. Discussions will also be held on the progress of others investigations, an officer of the probe agency told PTI. Navin, the ED director, arrived in Kolkata on Monday night. The attack took place when the ED team went to Sheikh's house in Sandeshkhali for a raid in connection with alleged irregularities in the state's ration system. The ED has already lodged a complaint at the Nazat police station in connection with the assaul

ED raids premises of Shiv Sena-UBT MLA Waikar in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided the premises of Shive Sena (UBT) MLA Ravindra Waikar and some of his linked entities in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in construction of a luxury hotel in Jogeshwari area of the city, official sources said. About seven locations in Mumbai are being searched by the agency, they said. These include the premises of Waikar and some of his partners and others, the sources said. Waikar, 64, is a Sena MLA from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction and represents the Jogeshwari east constituency in the Maharashtra assembly. The money laundering case of the ED stems from a Mumbai Police economic offences wing (EOW) FIR that accuses the legislator of illegally obtaining approval for the construction of a five-star hotel on a plot reserved for a garden. It is alleged that this deal caused a huge loss to the BMC.

Court reserves order on bail plea of Lava MD in Vivo money laundering case

A court here on Monday reserved its order on the bail application of Hari Om Rai, the managing director of Lava International Company arrested in a money laundering case against Chinese smartphone-maker Vivo. Additional Sessions Judge Kiran Gupta reserved the order for January 12 after hearing the arguments of the counsels appearing for the accused and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Senior advocate Vikaram Chaudhari and advocate Nitesh Rana, appearing for Rai, told the court that he has several medical ailments, and due to these, "keeping him in jail might be disastrous". "Although the doctors in jail are good, but keeping him there will worsen his condition," the court was told by the advocates. The application was opposed by the ED. The agency said that if released on bail, the accused may tamper with evidence or influence witnesses. Rana had earlier told the court that though Rai's company and Vivo were in talks to launch a joint venture in India a decade ago, he had nothing

CBI books its ex-head constable, his family in disproportionate assets case

The CBI has booked one of its former head constables and his family members for allegedly amassing assets worth over Rs 2 crore in four years, 70 per cent more than his legitimate sources of income, officials said on Monday. Akiluzzama Khan, who was posted in the Central Bureau of Investigation's Anti-Corruption-III unit, which handles several high-profile corruption cases, was named in the FIR along with his wife and son for allegedly amassing these assets from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2018, which could not be satisfactorily accounted for, they said. The CBI has alleged that Khan's assets skyrocketed from Rs 8,515 at the start of the check period to Rs 3.73 crore at the end of the check period on March 31, 2018. It was also found that he allegedly spent Rs 1.26 crore during this period. After deducting the legitimate income of Rs 2.93 crore earned by him and his family members, the officials said, he could not satisfactorily account for Rs 2.07 crore -- 70 per cent more than his

Those questioning law and order situation trying to malign Bengal: Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that those questioning West Bengal's law and order situation in the backdrop of the attack on Enforcement Department (ED) officers were trying to malign the state. Banerjee asserted that Kolkata has been adjudged the country's safest city for years as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). "I am not bothered about criticisms against me. But, I will protest if anyone tries to malign the state. Those questioning the law and order situation are trying to malign the state," she said, addressing the 'Students' Week' programme here. Three ED officers were injured and several of their vehicles vandalised as hundreds of supporters of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh attacked them on Friday. The attack happened when the ED team went to Sheikh's house in Sandeshkhali for a raid in connection with alleged irregularities in the state's ration system.

ED raids premises of Karnataka Cong MLA Nanjegowda in money laundering case

The premises of Karnataka Congress MLA K Y Nanjegowda and some of his linked entities were raided on Monday morning by the Enforcement Directorate as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. The 61-year-old legislator represents the Malur assembly seat in Kolar district. The officials of the central agency are covering the MLA's premises and those of his linked entities in Malur and Kolar as part of a investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. The ED case of money laundering is understood to have been filed on the basis of some local police FIRs related to alleged irregularities in the appointment of staff in the Kolar-Chikkaballapur District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd (KOMUL), of which he is the president, and some other charges. The office and plant of the milk cooperative in Kolar are also being searched, the sources said. As per KOMUL, it is Karnataka's second highest milk producing district ...

Excise policy scam: HC asks ED to respond to Sanjay Singh's bail plea

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a bail plea by AAP MP Sanjay Singh, arrested in a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy 'scam'. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice to the investigating agency and listed the matter for further hearing on January 29. The Rajya Sabha member, arrested by the ED on October 4 last year, has challenged a trial court's December 22 order dismissing his bail plea in the money laundering case. Senior advocate Mohit Mathur, appearing for Singh, submitted that the senior AAP leader has been in custody for last three months and no role has been attributed to him in the predicate offence. The ED has alleged that Singh played a key role in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy, which benefited certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, for monetary consideration.

Stop 'hide & seek' in arresting ED attack accused: Ananda Bose to WB police

"Officers should stop hunting with the hound and running with the hare. Do not sow the wind and reap the whirlwind," the Governor warned the police

ED summons former Kerala minister Thomas Isaac in KIIFB masala bonds case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned senior Kerala CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac for questioning in a FEMA case linked to probe into the alleged violations in the financial dealings of KIIFB during his tenure as the finance minister in the previous LDF government, official sources said Sunday. The 71-year-old politician has been asked to depose at the agency office in Kochi on January 12, they said. The central agency in December had informed the Kerala High Court that it has withdrawn the summons issued to Isaac. The submissions were made during hearing of a plea by Isaac and a KIIFB official alleging that only personal information was sought through the summons by ED and seeking quashing of the same. In view of the agency withdrawing the summons, the HC disposed of the petitions but at the same time, the court also said the ED was free to continue with its investigation in the matter. ED sources said the fresh summons to Isaac has been issued in light of the HC allowing the agen

Situation in Bengal is worse than Manipur, says BJP MP Dilip Ghosh

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Sunday lashed out at the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal and said that the condition of the state is "worse than Manipur."BJP MP Dilip Ghosh said, "The situation in Bengal is worse than Manipur. People voted for this government in the state. People will punish it for what it is doing. Central Government is doing its job of making suggestions and offering help for the upkeep of law & order. We can see that the situation in Bengal and at the Bangladesh border is not good for the security of the country, we had been saying this."This comes after attacks on the ED team in Sandeshkhali village of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal on Friday morning, January 5, when it tried to raid the residence of block-level leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in connection with an alleged ration scam case.Meanwhile, West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the attack proves that there is no law and order in the ...

ED assault case: WB Guv demands TMC leader's arrest, probe terrorist links

Expressing concern that TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh, the prime accused in the case of assault on ED officials, may have "crossed the border", West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has instructed authorities to arrest him immediately and investigate his alleged connections with terrorists. His remarks that Sheikh has links with terrorists drew sharp criticism from the ruling TMC on Sunday. The statement issued by Raj Bhavan late Saturday night highlighted that the governor, upon receiving a complaint in the Peace Room, instructed the police chief to promptly arrest the culprit. "On receipt of a complaint in the Peace Room of Raj Bhavan that Shahjahan Sheikh is supported by some political leaders with the connivance of some police officers, Hon'ble Governor instructed the Police chief to arrest the culprit forthwith and report compliance," the statement said. The governor emphasised on the need to ascertain Sheikh's whereabouts and take appropriate action. The complaint alleging that

ED has become a 'political tool' in hands of ruling BJP, says Atishi

Senior AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi on Saturday lashed out at the BJP-led Centre, saying the Enforcement Directorate has become a "political tool" for the ruling party. Addressing a press conference here, the minister alleged that the BJP government in the Centre has been "targeting" AAP and other opposition leaders by "misusing" the central agencies. "The BJP has been targeting AAP leaders ever since they came to power. This is a political conspiracy," Atishi said. "The Central government has proven that ED is nothing but a political tool," she said. "They have targeted opposition leaders from all states and by the time the Lok sabha elections arrive, the ED will put all of them behind the bars," she claimed. Atishi also said the ED is misusing the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against opposition parties, adding, "Getting bail under this act is almost impossible." The minister said the ED had allegedly summed two Dalit farmers under the PMLA when the duo had

Probe alleged money siphoning by erstwhile promoters: Religare to ED

Religare Enterprises Ltd (REL) on Saturday said it has requested Enforcement Directorate to expedite investigation into money allegedly siphoned off by erstwhile promoters. ED officials, on the basis of a complaint by the present management of Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL) -- a subsidiary of REL -- and pursuant to the ongoing investigation with respect to corporate loan book, collected relevant information/documents on January 5, 2024 to expedite the investigation as per request made by RFL recently, REL said in a filing. REL said it stands committed to recover the amount siphoned off from REL and its subsidiaries by the erstwhile promoters Malvinder Mohan Singh, Shivinder Mohan Singh and their associates and affiliates. Multiple cases have been initiated towards the same and various agencies are investigating these transactions. RFL has promised its lenders that they will make all possible efforts to recover siphoned off funds and in line with the same, RFL has commissioned a forensi

Kejriwal to embark on Gujarat visit tomorrow amid speculation of ED arrest

Delhi CM Kejriwal along with his Punjab encounter Bhagwant Mann will reach Vadodra airport tomorrow afternoon