Page 70 - Enforcement Directorate

ED finds Rs 22 lakh from driver's house after raids against Senthil Balaji

Unaccounted valuables worth more than Rs 16 lakh and Rs 22 lakh in cash were allegedly recovered from the premises of a driver after fresh searches were conducted against Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji and others in connection with a money laundering probe, the Enforcement Directorate said on Saturday. The searches were undertaken on August 3 in Coimbatore and Karur districts of the state, covering nine locations linked to Balaji, who is currently lodged at Puzhal central jail in Chennai under judicial custody. Balaji (47) continues to be a minister without portfolio in M K Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 14 in the money laundering case linked to the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in the state transport department. The ED said it undertook the fresh raids after it got "intelligence inputs" that Balaji's "close associate" S T Saminathan "possessed incriminating documents/proceeds of crime and was attempting to ...

Companies competing with Adani for prized assets faced CBI, ED raids: Cong

The Congress on Saturday cited the takeover of a cement company to allege that probe agencies were being misused by the BJP government to "enrich" a select few crony capitalists. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that in sectors such as airports, ports and cement, companies competing with the Adani Group for prized assets have faced CBI, ED and Income Tax raids "that have dissuaded them from proceeding with their bids, and the assets have ultimately gone to Adani". "In our Hum Adani ke Hain Kaun (HAHK) series of 100 questions for Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, the Congress party had pointed out how the Adani Group has repeatedly profited from well-timed, Modi-made raids by investigative agencies on its business competitors," he said in a statement. "The latest episode involves the takeover of Sanghi Industries by the Adani-owned Ambuja Cements," Ramesh said. "Aap chronology samjhiye: April 28, 2023: India's third-largest cement producer Shree Cement is reported to b

ED takes possession of villas, land in money laundering case against PFI

The Enforcement Directorate has taken possession of four villas and 6.75 acres of land in Kerala's Munnar district as part of a money laundering investigation against the banned Popular Front of India. The assets are worth a total Rs 2.53 crore (book value) and belong to Munnar Villa Vista Pvt Ltd. They were provisionally attached by the federal probe agency on January 7 and the adjudicating authority of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) confirmed it on June 30, the ED said in a statement on Saturday. The order of the adjudicating authority paved way for the agency to take possession of the land and the four villas, it said. The Popular Front of India (PFI) was banned under provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in September last year over its alleged links with terror activities. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said PFI leaders and members associated with overseas entities were developing a residential project -- Munnar Villa Vista Project (MVVP)

Excise policy cases: Interim bail pleas of Sisodia to be heard on Sept 4

According to the two federal investigative agencies, irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy and undue favours were extended to licence holders.

ED conducts fresh searches in money laundering case against TN minister

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted fresh searches in connection with its ongoing money laundering investigation against Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji and others, official sources said. They said premises linked to some entities being probed in this case and alleged benamidars (in whose name a benami property is standing) were being raided in Coimbatore and Karur. Balaji continues to be a minister without portfolio in the Tamil Nadu government even after his arrest by the ED on June 14 in a money laundering case linked an alleged cash-for-jobs scam in the Tamil Nadu transport department. The federal probe agency told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that Balaji was preventing it from exercising its right of custodial interrogation and the apex court reserved its verdict on the pleas of the DMK leader and his spouse challenging his arrest. The top court had on July 21 sought the ED's response on the petitions filed by Balaji and his wife Megala challenging the Jul

Top headlines: Tomato to hit Rs 300 in coming days, ED raids Pawan Munjal

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ED seizes Rs 25 cr worth of cash, jewellery in raids on Munjal, others

Foreign and Indian currencies and gold and diamond jewellery worth about Rs 25 crore apart from "incriminating" documents were seized after raids on Hero MotoCorp executive chairperson Pawan Kant Munjal and some others, the Enforcement Directorate said on Wednesday. The federal agency raided the residences and offices of the 69-year-old billionaire businessman, the promoter of India's largest two-wheeler automobiles manufacturer, in Delhi and neighbouring Gurugram apart from that of some other entities on Tuesday. It said in a statement that a "third party service provider" company, identified as Salt Experience and Management Pvt. LTd. (SEMPL), "illegally exported foreign currency equivalent to about Rs 54 crore to various countries during the period 2014-2015 to 2018-2019 which was ultimately used for personal expenses of P K Munjal." Foreign and Indian currencies and gold and diamond jewellery worth about Rs 25 crore apart from "incriminating" documents were seized from the ...

SC reserves verdict on pleas of Senthil Balaji, wife against his arrest

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on pleas of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji and his wife Megala challenging the Madras High Court order upholding his arrest in a money laundering case. The arguments heard. Judgement reserved, a bench comprising justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh said after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the minister, concluded their submissions. Presenting its arguments, the anti-money laundering agency said it has the requisite power to arrest and interrogate the accused minister in its custody in order to collect evidence and ensure corroboration. On the other hand, Rohatgi, assisted by lawyer Amit Anand Tiwari, said ED has no vested right to interrogate an accused in custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Balaji, who continues to be a minister without portfolio in the Tamil Nadu government even after his arrest on Jun

Hero Moto falls 7% from day's high amid report of PMLA case against Munjal

According to reports, a case has been registered against Chairman Pawan Munjal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002

ED raids Hero MotoCorp Chairman Munjal's residence; PMLA case registered

The DRI had recently apprehended a close aide of Pawan Munjal in possession of undeclared foreign currency

ED attaches assets in money laundering case against Lalu Prasad, family

The Enforcement Directorate has attached some assets as part of its money laundering investigation against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, his family and others in an alleged land-for-railway jobs scam, official sources said on Monday. The agency has issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach the properties, they said. The number of assets and their exact value was not known immediately. The ED has recorded the statement of Prasad's wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, their children including Bihar Deputy Chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, daughters Misa Bharti (RJD MP in Rajya Sabha), Chanda Yadav and Ragini Yadav, over the last few months, in this case. The alleged scam pertains to the period when Lalu Prasad was the railway minister in the UPA-1 government. It is alleged by the ED and the CBI that during the period 2004-09, various persons were appointed to Group D positions in various zones of the Indian Railways, and in lieu, th

3,110 money laundering, 12K FEMA cases registered by ED in last 3 yrs: Govt

The Enforcement Directorate has registered 3,110 cases under the anti-money laundering law and over 12,000 complaints to probe alleged foreign exchange violations over the last three years, the government informed Parliament on Monday. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary told Lok Sabha in a written reply that the ED has recorded cases on the basis of a "risk-based robust mechanism" under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). The number of cases recorded under the PMLA in 2020-21 was 981, during 2021-22, it rose to 1,180 and there were 949 cases during 2022-23, he said in the reply. The total money laundering cases registered in these three years stand at 3,110. Similarly, the federal agency booked 2,747 cases under the FEMA during 2020-21; 5,313 during 2021-22; and 4,173 cases in 2022-23. So a total of 12,233 FEMA cases were registered by the ED in the last three years. He also gave t

Lalu Yadav's family: Assets worth Rs 6 cr seized in land-for-jobs case

Enforcement Directorate seized assets in alleged corruption case against former Chief Ministers Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, along with Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav

Notice issued to ED on Sisodia's plea seeking permission to withdraw cash

Sisodia has sought permission to withdraw the amount as the bank is not allowing it to withdraw without written orders from the court

ED raids Haryana Cong MLA Chhoker in money laundering case; seizes cars

Four luxury cars, jewellery worth Rs 14.5 lakh and Rs 4.5 lakh in cash have been seized following raids against Haryana Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker and companies "owned and controlled" by him in a money laundering case linked to alleged cheating of homebuyers, the Enforcement Directorate said on Monday. The 59-year-old legislator from the Samalkha in Panipat district is stated to be the "owner and promoter" of the Mahira real estate group along with his sons Sikander Singh and Vikas Chhoker. The action under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act came after the ED launched searches against the legislator, Sai Aaina Farms Pvt Ltd (now Mahira Infratech Pvt Ltd), other companies of the Mahira Group and some others on July 25, it said in a statement. Eleven locations in Samalkha, Gurugram and Delhi were raided by the federal probe agency. The money laundering case stems from an FIR filed by the Gurugram Police against Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd. for "cheating a

Delhi court denies default bail to 3 PFI members in money laundering case

A Delhi court has denied "default bail" to three members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), who are accused in a money-laundering case related to alleged terror activities. Special Judge Shailender Malik dismissed the applications of accused Mohammad Ilias, Mohammad Perwez Ahmed and Abdul Muqeet, seeking default bail in the money-laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying he did not find any case made out for the relief. The accused were arrested on September 22, 2022 and are currently in judicial custody. The ED had filed a prosecution complaint (the federal agency's equivalent of a chargesheet) against them on November 19, 2022. The accused submitted that the ED had filed the prosecution complaint without completing its investigation and thereby, they should be granted default bail. Special Public Prosecutor N K Matta, who appeared in the court on behalf of the ED, submitted that merely because "further investigation" is going on, it cannot be ...

'Ulterior political motives': Oppn slams govt over extension to ED's Mishra

The opposition slammed the BJP-led Centre on Friday over the extension of the tenure of Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra till September 15, alleging that this was done with "ulterior political motives" and was aimed at targeting the leaders of the INDIA bloc with "false cases" to weaken the alliance. The Supreme Court on Thursday extended Mishra's tenure till the midnight of September 15 in larger "public and national interest", after the Centre asserted that his continuity is necessary in view of the ongoing FATF peer review and attempts by India's neighbours to ensure that the country gets into the "grey" list. The top court, which initially made a sharp observation and asked "are we not giving a picture that there is no other person and the entire department is full of incompetent people", subsequently relented and accepted the Centre's request for extending Mishra's tenure, but for a month less than what was sought. Addressing a joint press conference outsi

Delhi excise policy scam: Court denies 'default bail' to Vijay Nair

A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed an application of former AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair seeking 'default bail' in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Special Judge M K Nagpal denied the relief to the accused, saying that the issue was already dealt with by the Delhi High Court, which had dismissed Nair's application for grant of regular bail sought on the ground that the Enforcement Directorate had field a "piecemeal or incomplete prosecution complaint" (ED's equivalent to a charge sheet) regarding him. In view of the above...it is held that this court is not competent or the appropriate forum to consider the above point or ground for default bail of the accused and the appropriate course available to the accused is to approach the same Judge or Bench of the High Court with a request for consideration of the said point or ground... With the above observations and findings, the present application filed by accused Vijay Nair is being .

S K Mishra to continue as Enforcement Directorate chief till Sept 15: SC

The order comes after the government had filed an appeal for an extension of the deadline till October 15

SC 'amazed' at order passed by Allahabad HC, calls it self-contradictory

From Gyanvapi to ED director Sanjay Kumar Mishra's tenure, here are important developments from the apex court on Wednesday