Page 16 - Money Laundering Case

Naidu files bail petitions in court in Skill Development Corporation case

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who has been remanded to 14 days in judicial custody for his alleged role in a multi-crore Skill Development Corporation scam, has filed two bail petitions, interim and regular, in a local court. In the interim bail petition, Naidu denied all the allegations levelled against him and claimed that there was no prima facie evidence on record against him. "We have filed two petitions, one is for interim bail and another for regular bail. However, the hearing may not be done today (Friday)," advocate G Subba Rao, a member of Naidu's legal team, told PTI. Rao said the Crime Investigation Department is yet to file a counter to their bail pleas. Hence, he noted that the hearing may not come up on Friday. However, the CID has been served the notice and is yet to reply, the advocate said. The bail petitions were filed on Thursday at the ACB Court which remanded Naidu. Former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was arrested in connection with a case involving ...

Bigg Boss fame actor Kriti Verma named in ED chargesheet in fraud case

During the investigation, it was discovered that Kriti Verma had sold a property in Gurugram, which was acquired with Rs 1.02 crore of proceeds from the crime

Money laundering case: SC extends Satyendar Jain's interim bail till Sept 1

The Supreme Court on Friday extended till September 1 the interim bail of former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case despite vehement opposition by the the Enforcement Directorate, which said the medical advice tendered to the AAP leader did not warrant the relief. A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and M M Sundresh granted the relief to Jain after taking note of his medical report. "Though the Additional Solicitor General opposes the grant of extension of interim bail by contending that medical advice as referred to is not sufficient to extend the bail... medical bail granted earlier stands extended till September 1," the bench said. At the outset, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi submitted that Jain is entitled to regular bail as he has been in jail for over 15 months. Referring to the senior AAP leader's medical condition, Singhvi said he is undergoing rehabilitation after a crucial surgery of the spine. The doctors have suggested aquatic physiotherapy and he c

Soren unlikely to appear before ED for questioning in money laundering case

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is unlikely to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Monday in connection with a money laundering case, a source said. The ED had on August 8 summoned Soren to depose on August 14 at the federal agency's office here and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. "The chief minister is unlikely to appear before the ED today in view of his busy schedule. He may request for another date from the agency," the source said. Soren was to be questioned in an alleged defence land scam case. The 48-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was interrogated for over nine hours by the ED on November 18 last year in another money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state. The central probe agency is investigating more than a dozen land deals, including one related to defence land, wherein a group of land mafia, middlemen and bureaucrats allegedly connived to forge deeds and documents of as long back

Money laundering case: SC grants two-month interim bail to Nawab Malik

The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail for two months to former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on medical grounds in a money laundering case. Malik had moved the top court against the Bombay High Court's July 13 order denying him bail on medical grounds in the case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). A bench of justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi noted that Malik is in hospital for kidney disease and other ailments. "We are passing the order strictly on medical conditions and have not entered into the merits of the case," the bench said. The ED had arrested Malik in February 2022 in the case allegedly linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his associates. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader is in judicial custody and currently undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Mumbai. Malik had sought relief from the HC, claiming he was suffering from a chronic kidney disease apart from various other ailments. He also

ED summons Jharkhand CM for interrogation in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for interrogation in a money laundering case, an official said here on Tuesday. He has been asked to depose on August 14 at the federal agency's office here and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the official said. He is expected to be questioned in an alleged defence land scam case. The 47-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was interrogated for over nine hours by the ED in November last year in another money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state. Neither Soren nor his office has reacted to the fresh summons. BJP MP from the state Deepak Prakash Tuesday demanded Soren's resignation alleging that he was involved in the defence land scam in connivance with corrupt bureaucrats of the state. Claiming to have been the first to have exposed the defence land scam, he said "We had requested the ED to investigate the case. Today, the result is that aft

SC rejects YES Bank founder Rana Kapoor's bail in money laundering case

Rana Kapoor has been in jail since March 2020 in connection with the DHFL money laundering case

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

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 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

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

ED conducts searches in Delhi Jal Board linked money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities and siphoning of funds of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), official sources said on Tuesday. The raids were carried out in the national capital on Monday at about 10 premises as part of the investigation being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency has collected some documents and records, the sources said. The ED probe is stated to be based on a November, 2022 FIR of the Delhi government's anti-corruption branch (ACB) for alleged embezzlement of Rs 20 crore funds from the DJB.

Over 93% conviction rate in money laundering cases in 9 years: Govt

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reported a conviction rate of more than 93 per cent in money laundering cases over the last nine years, the government informed the Parliament on Monday. The federal agency also has a vacancy of over 25 per cent as of July 13, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. As per his statement, the ED has a sanctioned strength of 2,075 staffers and out of this it has 1,542 posts occupied at present. "During the last nine years, the trial has been completed in 31 PMLA cases which resulted in conviction of 54 accused in 29 cases. Thus, as on date, rate of conviction under PMLA is 93.54 per cent," the minister said while replying to a question on ED's conviction rate in money laundering cases during the last nine years. The ED was entrusted to enforce stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), enacted in 2002, from July 1, 2005. It also enforces the Foreign Exchange Management A

TN minister Balaji's plea in money laundering case to be heard on Friday

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday the pleas of Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji and his wife Megala challenging the July 14 order of the Madras High Court by which it upheld his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the minister and his spouse, that the issue would become infructuous if not heard urgently. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the anti-money laundering probe agency, opposed the submissions of Sibal seeking urgent hearing, saying wrong facts have been narrated and the Chief Justice of the High Court is yet to refer the matter to a division bench for further proceedings. If the bench seeks to list it tomorrow then I have no problem, the law officer said. We will list if for hearing, the bench said. The minister and his wife have filed two separate .

ED summons Ponmudi, son to appear today evening in money laundering case

Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi and his son who left the Enforcement Directorate office in the wee hours of Tuesday have been summoned to appear this evening in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal sand mining. After almost an overnight enquiry by the ED officials, both Ponmudi and his MP son Gautham Sigamani were allowed to go home at about 3.30 am today and asked to appear before the ED officials at 4 pm today for further enquiry, DMK spokesperson and advocate A Saravanan said. He claimed that the Minister cooperated well with the central agency and wondered the necessity to put a 72-year-old Minister to an overnight ordeal merely for obtaining a statement. Nothing would have happened if the ED officials had asked him to appear in the morning for obtain the statement," he said. The raids were held at the premises of Ponmudy and his son in state capital Chennai and in the minister's stronghold of Villupuram. The ruling DMK dubbed the act

CBI files additional charge sheet against 5 accused in Delhi excise case

The CBI has filed a supplementary charge sheet against five people in the Delhi excise policy scam case in which former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia is also an accused, officials said on Thursday. This is the second supplementary charge sheet in the case, they said. The five named by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the supplementary charge sheet, filed before a special court here, include director of Chariot Productions Media Pvt Ltd Rajesh Joshi and his employees Damodar Prasad Sharma and Prince Kumar, the officials said. The agency has also named the creative head of India Ahead News, Arvind Kumar Singh, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteer Chanpreet Singh Rayat, they said. They are all accused of diverting funds generated through the alleged scam for the Goa assembly election campaign of the AAP, the officials said. Rayat and Arvind Kumar Singh were arrested by the CBI in May, while Joshi was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and later granted bail by

ED arrests CBI's approver Dinesh Arora in excise policy laundering case

In a major arrest in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday night took into its custody businessman Dinesh Arora, an accused who has been declared prosecution witness in the same case being probed by CBI. Arora was arrested under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a long session of questioning. The agency is expected to produce him before a local court on Friday. Dinesh Arora has been questioned by the ED earlier too. But this time, he was evasive in his replies and was not cooperating with the agency following which he was arrested, sources said. The businessman was allegedly a close associate of Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia who is also an accused in the excise policy case and has been arrested by the ED as well as the CBI. The ED, in a supplementary charge sheet, has accused Sisodia of receiving bribes from Amit Arora, another businessm

Ajit Pawar's associates acquired assets at low prices: Court on MSBC case

Assets of a sugar cooperative were acquired by close associates of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at throwaway prices, a special court here has said while taking cognisance of a chargesheet filed by the ED in a money laundering case pertaining to the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB). Special Judge M G Deshpande in the order passed on Wednesday, after perusing the chargesheet, documents submitted along with it and witness statements, said it demonstrates a classic example of generation of proceeds of crime from criminal activity and it constitutes an offence under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Hence, there are cogent, sound and prima facie sufficient grounds to direct issuance of process (summons) against all the accused, the court said while directing all the accused to appear before it themselves or through their lawyer on July 19. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in April this year filed its chargesheet against three accused Guru ...