Page 57 - Enforcement Directorate

CBI, ED file reports to Calcutta HC on probe into primary school jobs scam

The CBI on Tuesday filed a report in sealed cover before the Calcutta High Court in its probe into alleged primary school jobs scam, stating that the stages involved in it show how corruption was converted into a form of art. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also filed a separate report in sealed cover on its progress in the proceeds of crime in connection with the alleged scam. Submitting a report on the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education before the court, the CBI counsel stated that the stages involved in it showed how corruption was converted into a form of art. ED counsel Dhiraj Trivedi submitted that the central agency has attached eight properties valued at Rs 7.5 crore of Leaps and Bounds, a private company, apprehending that these are proceeds of crime. The ED had earlier stated that Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee is the CEO of Leaps and Bounds and had also been one of its directors for a limited period. Taking

ED conducts searches in money laundering case against AAP MLA Khan

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday undertook fresh searches at about four-five premises in the national capital as part of a money laundering probe against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan linked to alleged irregularities in recruitment of staff for the Delhi Waqf Board, official sources said. The raids are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. About four-five premises are being covered by the ED officials, they said. The agency had in October raided the premises of the 49-year-old legislator who represents the Okhla constituency in the Delhi assembly. It had also arrested three of his alleged associates in this case in November. The ED had alleged that Khan 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. "The searches (in October) were conducted in the case related to illegal ..

AAP to act according to law, party says as Kejriwal summoned by ED on Jan 3

The AAP will act according to law over the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, its Chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said on Tuesday. Kejriwal has been summoned on January 3 for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an excise policy-linked money laundering case. Kakkar was asked during a press conference if Kejriwal would appear before the ED for questioning. "Our legal team will be better equipped to answer this question. We will act as per the law," she said. The ED has issued a third summons to Kejriwal for questioning for January 3. This is the third notice to Kejriwal, also the AAP's national convenor, after he refused to appear before the federal agency on two earlier summons for November 2 and December 21. Kejriwal skipped the ED's earlier summonses, calling those "illegal" and "politically motivated".

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Raids, cash hauls, political turmoil jeopardise Jharkhand's journey in 2023

It was a power-packed year for Jharkhand with high-profile arrests, political turmoil, searches and raids, cash hauls, deaths and gunfights between Naxals and security forces. The year began tumultuously with the Jain community and Santhal tribes staking claim over 'Parasnath' or 'Hill deity Marang Buru'. Chief Minister Hemant Soren remained in the news throughout the year for skipping as many as six summons by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged land and illegal mining scam. The year was saw the arrest of IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan. On a positive note, the year saw implementation of an outreach scheme aimed at delivering benefits of government schemes to people, benefiting 58 lakh people. Players from the state performed well in national and international events. The government's crackdown on Maoists was severe. In all, 397 Maoists were arrested, nine killed, and 26 surrendered to security forces. Security forces also managed to free 'Budha Pahad' in Garhwa and Latehar in ..

AAP's National Executive meeting to be held today via video conferencing

The meeting holds significant importance as it is being held amidst the 3rd notice by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to CM Kejriwal

Delhi court grants bail to 3 vivo-India executives, ED to challenge order

The ED had raided vivo-India and its linked persons in July last year and claimed to have busted a major money laundering racket involving Chinese nationals and multiple Indian companies

Delhi CM Kejriwal returns from Vipassana camp ahead of ED summons

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann accompanied the Delhi CM while leaving the Vipassana meditation centre in Hoshiarpur

Money laundering case: ED writes to Jharkhand CM seeking his availability

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a letter-cum-summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren seeking his availability for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam, official sources said on Saturday. Soren, 48, has been asked by the central agency to inform the investigating officer of the case about the date, venue and time of his choice so that his statement can be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The agency has sought a response from the chief minister by December 31, failing which it will initiate further legal action under the provisions of the anti-money laundering law. This is the seventh notice or summons issued to Soren but he has never deposed before the ED. The first was issued for August 14. He had filed a petition before the Supreme Court and then the Jharkhand High Court seeking protection from the ED action and terming the summons "unwarranted". Both the courts had dismissed his ...

CBI allowed to question Rana in Ezeego One Travels & Tours loan fraud case

A court here has allowed the CBI to question Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor in connection with a loan granted to Ezeego One Travels and Tours Limited (EOTTL) by the private sector lender. Kapoor, 65, former MD and CEO of Yes Bank, is in judicial custody following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in March 2020 in a money laundering case linked to financial irregularities at the bank. He is currently lodged in the Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai. The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday told additional sessions judge B D Shelke that it wanted to question Kapoor in the case related to the EOTTL loan, registered in October 2020 on a complaint filed by Yes Bank. "Criminal complicity" of Kapoor, who was the MD and CEO of Yes Bank during the relevant period, came to light during investigation, said special public prosecutor Ashish Bilgaiyan. At Kapoor's behest, the bank sanctioned a loan of Rs 1060 crore to EOTTL (a sister concern of Cox & Kings) despite the

Delhi court extends ED custody of three vivo-India executives by one day

A Delhi court on Thursday extended by one day the ED custody of three vivo-India executives in a money laundering case against the Chinese smartphone maker and others. The court extended the custody of interim CEO of vivo-India Hong Xuquan alias Terry, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Harinder Dahiya and consultant Hemant Munjal on an application moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The accused were produced before the court on expiry of their five-day ED custody granted earlier. The accused were taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The federal agency had earlier arrested four people -- mobile company Lava International's MD Hari Om Rai, Chinese national Guangwen alias Andrew Kuang, and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik -- in the case. The ED had filed a charge-sheet against these four in a special PMLA court in Delhi. The court recently took cognisance of the charge-sheet.

Many Indian HNIs being asked by foreign banks to shut accounts: Report

Two British banks, one Swiss bank and a leading Emirates lender have closed the accounts of these Indians in the last two months

Probe underway in 2005-06 land deal of Priyanka Gandhi, Robert Vadra: ED

Purchase of three plots of land in Haryana in 2005-06 by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra from a real estate agent is being probed along with a land deal made by his wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the ED claimed in a recently filed money laundering case charge-sheet. The federal agency filed the charge-sheet (prosecution complaint ) in November before a court against NRI businessman C C Thampi, who is allegedly linked to Robert Vadra, and Sumit Chadha, a relative of alleged middleman Sanjay Bhandari. Though Robert Vadra and Priyanka Gandhi, a Congress general secretary, have not been named as accused in the charge-sheet, this is the first time that they have been named together in the complaint. A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi took cognisance of this charge-sheet on December 22 and listed the matter for next hearing on January 29, 2024. Bhandari fled to the UK in 2016 and the British government approved his extradition to India

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi named in ED's PMLA case charge sheet

ED has named Robert Vadra in its earlier charge sheet related to the case as an alleged close aide of Thampi

ED searches Surat SEZ-based Sharanam Jewels LLP on Fema violation charge

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said it recently searched the premises of a Surat-based LLP firm and entities linked to it for allegedly making "suspicious" outward remittances worth Rs 2,284 crore. The locations of Sharanam Jewels LLP, based in the Surat SEZ (special economic zone), its promoter Avadh Harshad Yagnik, Vansh Marketing, a proprietorship concern of Ashik Patel and others in Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat and Dhubri in Assam were searched under sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the agency said in a statement. The probe was initiated on the basis of "credible" information that the said entities were involved in sending foreign exchange outside India "on a large scale" and that they made "suspicious" outward remittances amounting to Rs 2,284 crore on account of payment towards import settlement of invoices. The limited liability partnership (LLP) firm is into import and export of gems and jewellery and in the last two years, it conducte

Mahadev app owner detained in Dubai; ED may file fresh charge sheet

Sourabh Chandrakar, one of the promoters of the Mahadev online betting app, has been put under "house detention" in Dubai while Indian probe agencies, including ED, have been "alerted" and are working through diplomatic channels to get him deported, official sources said on Wednesday. The Enforcement Directorate may also file a fresh charge sheet in this multi-crore money laundering case soon, they said. The development comes weeks after Ravi Uppal, another promoter of the betting and gaming app, was detained by local authorities in Dubai on a red notice (RN) issued by Interpol at the behest of the ED. The sources said Chandrakar's location in Dubai has been intimated to the federal agency and he has been put under "house detention". Indian agencies are working, through diplomatic channels, to secure the deportation or extradition of the two who are vital to the money laundering and police investigation into the alleged illegal activities of the 'Mahadev Book Online' app that also

ED exempted from RTI but can inform on human right violations: Delhi HC

The Enforcement Directorate is exempted from the scope of the Right to Information (RTI) Act but it can be directed to supply information concerning human rights violations, which includes allegations of sexual harassment, the Delhi High Court has held. The court passed the order while dealing with two petitions by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging two orders of the Central Information Commission (CIC) directing disclosure of certain information to RTI applicants. While one of the applicants sought administrative information pertaining to recruitment rules, the other -- a legal adviser to the ED--wanted information related to allegations of sexual harassment made by her. Justice Prathiba M Singh set aside the CIC order passed in the first instance but directed the agency to disclose the information sought by the RTI Applicant in the second case within eight weeks. "The ED is exempted under Section 24 of the RTI Act, 2005 from disclosing the said information (on recruitme

Vadra 'stayed' at London property which is proceeds of crime in a case: ED

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday alleged that Robert Vadra, son-in-law of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, "renovated and stayed" at a London property which is a "proceeds of crime" in a money laundering case against alleged middleman Sanjay Bhandari. Bhandari fled to the UK in 2016 and the British government approved his extradition to India in January this year acting on the legal request made by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The two federal agencies are probing charges of money laundering and tax evasion against the businessman for holding alleged undisclosed assets abroad. This is the first time that the federal agency has named Vadra in this case. The ED issued a statement stating that it has filed a fresh charge sheet in this case against C C or Cheruvathur Chakutty Thampi, a UAE-based NRI businessman, and UK national Sumit Chadha. Thampi was arrested in this case in January 2020 and the ED alleged he was a "close associate" of Vadra. Tha

Delhi court extends ED custody of 3 Vivo-India executives by 2 days

A Delhi court on Tuesday extended by two days the Enforcement Directorate custody of three Vivo-India executives in connection with a money laundering probe against the Chinese smartphone-maker and others. Additional Sessions Judge Aparna Swami extended the custody of Interim CEO of Vivo-India Hong Xuquan alias Terry, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Harinder Dahiya and consultant Hemant Munjal on an application moved by the ED. The accused were produced before the court on the expiry of their three-day ED custody granted earlier. The accused were taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The federal agency had earlier arrested four people -- mobile company Lava International's MD Hari Om Rai, Chinese national Guangwen alias Andrew Kuang, and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik -- in the case. They are in judicial custody at present. The ED had filed a charge-sheet against the four in a special PMLA court in Delhi. The cou

Sanjay Bhandari case: Court issues NBW against UK national Sumit Chaddha

"Cognizance of the offence of money laundering as defined in u/Sec. 3 r/w Sec. 17 punishable u/Sec. 4 of PMLA, 2002, has already been taken on October 5, 2020," noted the court