Page 1940 - Law Crime
21 more PNB fraud-related raids, property worth Rs 5,674 cr seized so far: ED
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday conducted raids at 21 more places across India and seized assets worth Rs 25 crore in connection with the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, an official said.
Bank manager caught in MP's Ratlam for demanding bribe
A bank manager posted in Union Bank's Namli branch here was caught by Lokayukta police for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe in return for releasing the first installment of a loan. Lokayukta Inspector Basant Shrivastava said that bank manager Mahendra Dehria had demanded Rs 25,000 from a person to release the first installment of a loan of Rs 4 lakh under the state's Animal Husbandry Scheme. Acting on a complaint, the Lokayukta police laid a trap and caught Dehria and his associate Dilip Sharma when they accepted the bribe from the complainant, he said. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, officials said, adding that the two were released from the spot after they furnished a bond.
Bodies of couple, with suicide note nearby, found in Jalna
The bodies of a 17-year-old girl and a 21-year-old man, both of whom had been missing since Valentine's Day on Wednesday, were found today morning in Badnapur tehsil here, police said. Badnapur Police Inspector Rameshwar Khannal said the bodies of Komal Ashok Garud (17) and Shashank Subash Jaiswal (21), both residents of Aurangabad, were found at Dawalwadi Phatta, adding that a bottle of poison and a suicide note were found near the bodies. The note stated that the two were in love with each other and were committing suicide, Khannal said, adding that the two, in the note, also asked for forgiveness for the act from their parents. He said that the two were missing since February 14 and the parents of the girl had filed a case of kidnapping against unknown persons at a local police station. The official added that the girl was a student of commerce at a local college while Jaiswal was pursuing a Bachelor's degree in computer applications.
PNB fraud: Retired deputy manager, two others sent to 14-day custody
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court on Saturday sent all three accused arrested in Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case to police custody till March 3.The three accused sent to custody is Gokulnath Shetty the then Deputy Manager, Manoj Kharat, SWO (single window operator) of the PNB and Hemant Bhat, Authorised Signatory of the Nirav Modi Group of Firms.Kudrat Sheikh, the lawyer of Manoj Kharat said that the latter has no role in the said case and was coerced to work."Manoj Kharat was just a clerk and typed letter under pressure from Gokulnath Shetty. He has no role in the case, we'll file bail application," Sheikh said.Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted search operation at 21 other locations across India in connection with Nirav Modi case and seized diamonds, gold, precious stones, metals and jewellery worth Rs 25 crore (Book Value).With this, the total seizure till now from Nirav Modi case is worth Rs 5674 Crore.Punjab National Bank detected a ...
PNB fraud: ED continues raids, seizure value rises to Rs 5674 crore
Raids by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe against diamond czar Nirav Modi and others in the alleged Rs 11,400-crore bank fraud continued for the third day today with the agency saying it seized Rs 25 crore worth diamonds and jewellery, taking the total seizure value to Rs 5,674 crore, the agency said. "The ED conducted further searches at 21 locations across India in Nirav Modi case and seized diamonds, gold, precious stones/metals and jewellery worth Rs 25 crore (book value). The total seizure till now is Rs 5,674 crore," it said in a statement. The agency had earlier said it had arrived at the value of the assets seized based on the stock value at showrooms and stores, which was also the price at which the company purchased the goods. It was also conducting an "independent valuation" of these assets. The Enforcement Directorate had yesterday summoned Nirav Modi and his business partner and jewellery chain promoter Mehul Choksi in this case. They have been asked ..
Man held for availing loan from bank using fake documents in J-K
A man has been arrested for allegedly availing a loan from Jammu and Kashmir Bank using fake documents here, police said today. Sarfaraz Ahmad Hakeem, a resident of Illahi Bagh in Soura area of the city, was evading arrest, a police spokesman said. The case seems to be part of a larger syndicate which, after producing fake documents before banks, take large amount of loan, thereby fraudulently siphoning off the public money, the spokesman said. During the investigation of the case, it came to surface that the accused has availed a loan of Rs 38 lakh from Jammu and Kashmir Bank's Ganpatyar branch for a photo editing unit under the brand name Edit World against the mortgage of land measuring three kanal and 12 marlas and hypothecation of machinery purportedly to be acquired for said unit. The spokesman said after paying instalments for some time, the accused turned defaulter. The concerned bank authorities could not take possession of the land and hypothecated items as the revenue ...
Drug peddler arrested in JK's Samba
An alleged drug peddler was today arrested with one kilogram of poppy straw in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. Tilak Raj, a resident of Bari Brahmana, was intercepted while he was moving under suspicious circumstances near Raya Morh Brah in Vijaypur, a police spokesman said. He was arrested and a case under the NDPS Act registered against him, he said.
JKPCC demands 'foolproof' probe into rape and murder of minor girl
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) today demanded a "foolproof" probe into the alleged rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district last month. "We demand a foolproof probe into the heartrending incident of worst kind in order to bring the culprits to book and ensure justice to the victim, which should serve as a deterrent to inhumane elements of such a mentality in the society," a spokesman of the JKPCC said in a statement here. He decried attempts to give any religious or communal colour to the "worst ever shameful act" and said identification of real culprits should be the interest of all right thinking persons. "Any religious or communal twist is totally unwarranted and condemnable, if it is aimed at derailing the investigation and defeat the ends of justice, then it is most unfortunate," the spokesman said.
SC seeks AG's assistance on a plea to bar lawmakers from practicing law in courts
The Supreme Court has sought the assistance of the Attorney General (AG) on a plea seeking a ban on legislators from practising as advocates. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A M Khanwilkar sought the assistance of AG K K Venugopal on a plea which alleged that parliamentarians and legislators practising as lawyers pose a "conflict of interest" and violation of provisions of the Advocates Act and the Bar Council of India Rules. The petition, filed by BJP Delhi spokesperson Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, said that while a public servant cannot practice as an advocate, legislators are practising in various courts which was a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution. "Legislators take fee from litigant and salary from the public exchequer, which is professional misconduct," the plea said. The plea said that the issue is a matter of concern to both the judiciary and the legislature as most of the lawmaker-advocates are involved in active practice of law, despite receiving ...
Schoolboy's death: Accused challenges JJB order to prosecute him as adult
A 16-year-old student, accused in the case of murder of a seven-year-old boy at a private school at Bhondsi here, today sought setting aside of an order of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) directing him to be face criminal prosecution as an adult. Additional Sessions Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu was told by the accused that the JJB order was bad in law and it was passed without giving him proper opportunity to present his case. The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) had on December 20 last year held that the teenager would be tried as an adult and had directed that he be produced before the Gurgaon Sessions Court. Advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir, appearing for the accused during in-camera proceedings, apprised the waiting media about the day's hearing. During the hearing, it was alleged before the court that the JJB passed the order "only on face value of allegations and evidence". The board relied upon a letter of the psychologist which had only one paragraph and lacked material evidence, he said,
The Madras High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on a woman for not letting her ...
The Madras High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on a woman for not letting her estranged husband meet their child during weekends, despite its directive, and said the love and affection of father and mother was necessary for a child to grow up as a good human being. Justice S Vaidyanathan made the observation when a contempt petition filed by the child's father Selvakumar from Nagapattinam district came up recently. Based on the records available and the facts stated it is evident that the petitioner's wife has not complied with the court's earlier order, by not allowing him to spend time with the child during weekends, the court said and slapped a fine of Rs 2,000 on her payable on or before March 20. In case of default in depositing the fine, the woman would face one week simple imprisonment, it added. The petitioner submitted that his marriage was solemnised on January 30, 2012 and the couple were blessed with a male child in December the same year. However, due to some ...
A Delhi court today decided to hear on April 7 the CBI's plea seeking a direction to ...
A Delhi court today decided to hear on April 7 the CBI's plea seeking a direction to allow it to go for further probe into the politically sensitive Rs 64-crore Bofors payoff case. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ashu Garg deferred the hearing as the documents and records pertaining to the matter were not available with the court and were in the Supreme Court. The documents were provided to the apex court as it has been seized of an appeal filed by BJP leader Ajay Agrawal challenging the May 31, 2005 verdict of the Delhi High Court quashing all charges against the accused. Agrawal, who contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli against the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, had filed the appeal in the apex court after the CBI had failed to challenge the high court verdict in the top court within the mandatory 90 days period. The CBI had on February 1 moved the trial court seeking permission for further probe into the matter saying it had come across fresh material and ...
Family members of Dalit activist Bhanubhai Vankar today refused to accept his body, ...
Family members of Dalit activist Bhanubhai Vankar today refused to accept his body, which was brought for post-mortem to the Gandhinagar civil hospital, till their demands were met. Hundreds of Dalit protesters gathered outside the hospital to support the family. Vankar had immolated himself outside the Patan Collectors office on Thursday and had died of burn injuries at a private hospital in Ahmedabad the next day. Dalit leader and Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani and Leader of the Opposition Paresh Dhanani met Vankar's kin at the Gandhinagar civil hospital. Vankar was part of Mevani's Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch. Protesters at the site turned away Karshan Solanki, the BJP MLA from Kadi, when he arrived at the hospital. Talking to reporters, Mevani threatened to launch a protest if the state government did not yield to their demands by today evening. "We will decide what to do tomorrow if the government does not accept our demands in writing," Mevani said. He demanded the ...
PNB fraud: Singhvi refutes allegations, warns BJP of defamation suit
Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi on Saturday fired back the allegations made by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in connection with Punjab National Bank scam and warned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with a civil and criminal defamation lawsuit.Singhvi's reaction came after Sitharaman linked him, his wife and his son to Nirav Modi's business.Threatening Sitharaman with civil and criminal defamation for making 'ignorant and patently false comments', Singhvi said that neither he, his wife nor his sons had anything to do with Gitanjali Gems or Nirav Modi.In a press release, Singhvi brushed away the allegations calling it a culpable offence."Nirmala Sitharaman and her colleagues are liable to civil and criminal defamation for making ignorant and patently false allegations," he said."I intend to file a civil and defamation case against the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her colleagues who are spreading the defamatory allegations, I also intend to take action against the ...
Prisons Dept, IOC join hands to give jobs to ex-convict women
The Telangana Prisons Department today said it has entered into an agreement with Indian Oil Corporation to provide employment to former women convicts or under-trial women at petrol pumps in the state. Apart from ex-convicts (who have served their prison term) and those who are facing trial and are out on bail, the initiative also aims to cover other needy women by providing them employment. "We request all women ex-convicts and UT (under-trial) prisoners, single women or widows or destitute women to approach the jail superintendents in their districts for employment at petrol pumps in the same district for salary of Rs 9,000 and above," said V K Singh, Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, in a press release. The Prisons Department aims to provide employment to as many as 2,000 women including ex-convicts in various industries this year, Singh said. The objective is to curb crime by providing employment to poor women, he added.
ED attaches Rs 115-crore land of Chennai developer
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached land worth Rs 115 crore of VGN Developers in Chennai in a case of bank fraud while purchasing the land in 2013, an official said on Saturday.
Bank fraud case: ED attaches land worth Rs 115 cr of Chennai firm
The Enforcement Directorate today said it has attached land worth Rs 115 crore of a Chennai-based company in connection with its money laundering probe related to a bank fraud case. The agency said it issued orders, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), for provisional attachment of 10.46 acres of land of VGN Developers Private Limited at Guindy in Chennai. It said the land was purchased by the company in 2013 from Hindusthan Teleprinters Limited (HTL), a central government undertaking. The ED said it took over the case of alleged fraud against the State Bank of India after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR. "A case was registered by the CBI for the wrongful loss of Rs 115 crore caused by M/s VGN Developers Private Ltd to Government of India in the acquisition of 10.46 acres of vacant land at Guindy from the State Bank of India's Stressed Assets Management branch in Chennai through a private treaty sale under SARFAESI Act to recover the dues of HTL," the ED said in a ...
Minneapolis (US), Feb 17 (AP) A 20-year-old Minneapolis man who said he was inspired by the Islamic State group has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking two brothers at the Mall of Ameri
A 20-year-old Minneapolis man who said he was inspired by the Islamic State group has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking two brothers at the Mall of America. Mahad Abdirahman was sentenced yesterday after pleading guilty earlier to two counts of first-degree assault for the November knife attack at the Bloomington mall. The Star Tribune reports Abdirahman declined to speak when the judge gave him the opportunity. When he pleaded guilty last month, Abdirahman said he "went to Mall of America to answer the call for Jihad" because he believed the United States was "at war with Islam." Investigators say he attacked 19-year-old Alexander Sanchez and 25-year-old John Sanchez while shopping. The brothers suffered serious injuries.
Two wanted criminals arrested in Faizabad
Two wanted criminals of Munna Bajrangi gang were arrested during an encounter with Special Task Force (STF) team and local police in Faizabad, on Friday.The gang members have been identified as Abhinav Pratap Singh alias Badu and Dhanesh Yadav alias Sonu.Police also seized such weapons as pistols and cartridges from the arrested criminals.On receiving specific on Friday, the STF team under the leadership of Satya Prakash Singh along with the local police had reached the Amaniganj area where the criminals were staying, an official statement from the STF informed.Attempts to break open the door of the criminals' lodging broke out into an encounter between both parties, wherein the two were arrested.
Singhvi rubbishes BJP's allegations, warns of legal action
Rubbishing accusations that he and his family had links with Nirav Modi's companies, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Saturday said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "was liable to civil and criminal defamation".