Page 4 - Money Laundering Case

ED files fresh chargesheet in NSEL money laundering probe, 19 firms named

The Enforcement Directorate Wednesday said it has filed a fresh chargesheet in the National Spot Exchange Limited (NSEL)-linked money laundering investigation. The prosecution complaint was filed on January 28 before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai against 19 broking entities and their directors for allegedly colluding with NSEL officials to "allure" investors to trade on this platform, the federal agency said in a statement. The court took cognisance of the chargesheet on February 3, it said. The agency earlier filed six chargesheets against 94 accused and attached assets worth Rs 3,288 crore as part of this probe. The probe found that broking companies, after getting registered with the NSEL, "misled" their clients by providing "false" assurances about the exchange and promoting "illegal" pairs trade contracts that were not allowed, the ED said. In "collusion with" broking companies, NSEL established a system that "bypassed" the collection of

'Must follow law, not harass citizens': Bombay HC fines ED Rs 1 lakh

The Bombay High Court has fined the Enforcement Directorate Rs 1 lakh for baseless money-laundering probe against a realtor. It has also penalised the complainant for malafide intent

Money laundering case: SC junks ED plea against bail to NCP leader Bhujbal

In a relief to senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of the Enforcement Directorate challenging the bail granted to him in a money laundering case. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan however rejected Bhujbal's plea challenging his arrest in the matter saying the petitioner was released on bail in 2018, and it was not necessary to go into the question of illegality of his arrest at the present stage. "Impugned orders granting bail have been passed way back in the year 2018. Therefore no case for interference is made out at this stage under Article 136 of the Constitution. The SLPs are dismissed," it held. The Bombay High Court on May 4, 2018, granted bail to Bhujbal in the money laundering case. The former Maharashtra deputy chief minister was arrested after an ED inquiry revealed he and his associates had allegedly misused their office and caused financial loss to the government. According to the ED, Bhujbal awarded contra

SC criticises ED over bail conditions for women in money laundering cases

The Supreme Court has strongly criticised the Enforcement Directorate for submitting that rigorous bail conditions in money laundering cases will apply to women despite a statutory exception explicitly provided under the law. A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, while hearing the bail plea of Shashi Bala, a government school teacher accused in a money laundering scam involving the Shine City Group of Companies, called the ED's submissions "contrary to statute" and emphasised that such arguments would not be tolerated. "We will not tolerate conduct... to make submissions contrary to statute," the bench said and granted bail to Bala in the case, saying she had been in custody since November 2023 and there was little likelihood of her trial concluding anytime soon. "If people who appear for the Union of India do not know basic provisions of law, why should they appear in the matter," the bench said on Wednesday. The ED argued that the stringent bail ...

Kejriwal's arrest, excise policy cases dominated Delhi courts in 2024

Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, excise policy hearings, hogged limelight in Delhi courts in 2024

ED summons BRS leader KT Rama Rao in money laundering case on Jan 7

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao and some others for questioning next month in a money laundering case linked to alleged payment irregularities during a Formula-E race held in Hyderabad in February 2023, official sources said on Saturday. The federal agency filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR) or FIR last week in the case under various sections of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), taking cognisance of a Telangana Police Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) complaint. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and son of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, Rama Rao has been asked to depose for recording of his statement on January 7, the sources said. Senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and retired bureaucrat and former Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) chief engineer BLN Reddy have been summoned on January 2 and January 3, respectively, they added. The probe against 48-year-old Ram

Why SC barred ED probe of 'lottery king' Santiago Martin's laptop, device

The Enforcement Directorate is investigating money laundering charges against Santiago Martin, who made headlines for being the largest political donor through electoral bonds between 2014-19

Delhi LG gives nod to ED to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case

On December 5, the Enforcement Directorate sought permission for sanction of prosecution against Arvind Kejriwal

ED cannot direct prosecutors on court conduct in money laundering cases: SC

The Supreme Court has said the Enforcement Directorate and its director may provide instructions related to the facts of a money laundering case but they cannot direct their prosecutors on how to conduct themselves in court. The top court ruling underscored the independence of public prosecutors as officers of the court and limits the influence of investigative agencies in judicial proceedings. The observations were made in an order by a bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Augustine George Masih on Wednesday while granting bail to Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir, who were arrested in connection with the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. The bench took note of their prolonged incarceration and believed that the trial would not begin in the near future. The bench clarified the limits of the ED's authority over public prosecutors while addressing a trial court's directive that the director of the anti-money laundering probe agency issue instructions to prosecutors not to oppose bail .

Businessman Sanjay Bhandari's extradition appeal opens in UK High Court

Sanjay Bhandari, a consultant in the defence sector wanted in India on alleged tax evasion and money laundering charges, began an appeal in the High Court in London on Tuesday against his extradition order. The 62-year-old businessman had won permission to appeal against a November 2022 Westminster Magistrates' Court ruling clearing his extradition earlier this year. His lawyers began making their arguments in the case, which is listed for a three-day hearing this week with the judgment expected in the new year. Lord Justice Timothy Holroyde and Justice Karen Steyn began hearing representations from barristers James Stansfeld and Edward Fitzgerald at the Royal Courts of Justice on three main grounds of appeal whether the bar for criminality had been met in the English jurisdiction, whether a prima facie case had been made and whether the accused faces a risk of violence in an Indian prison. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), appearing on behalf of the Indian authorities, will ..

HC refuses to prepone hearing on Kejriwal's plea in excise policy case

The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to advance the hearing on a petition by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal challenging a trial court's order taking cognisance of a chargesheet filed against him in a money laundering case. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri said, "matter will be heard on the same date (December 20). I have a lot on the board to hear." Kejriwal had sought preponement of the date of hearing on his petition from December 20. After the court declined to change the date, Kejriwal's counsel pleaded that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) be directed to a supply copy of its reply to the petition in advance. "Whatever you file, give it to them also," the court told the ED's lawyer. On November 21, the high court refused to stay at that moment the trial court proceedings against Kejriwal in the money laundering case. The high court had issued notice and sought response of the ED on the plea by the former Delhi chief minister. Kejriwal sought setting aside of the trial court order and a

ED raids Raj Kundra, others in pornography linked money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday raided the premises of businessman Raj Kundra, the husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, and some others as part of a money laundering case linked to alleged distribution of pornographic and adult movies, official sources said. Around 15 locations in Mumbai and some cities in Uttar Pradesh are being searched, including the home and office of 49-year-old Kundra and some other persons, the sources said. The agency is understood to be questioning Kundra at one of these premises. This money laundering case of May, 2022 stems from at least two Mumbai police FIRs and chargesheets filed against Kundra and others. The businessman and some others were arrested in the case by the police and later granted bail. This is the second money laundering case against Kundra. Early this year, the ED had attached assets worth Rs 98 crore of Kundra and Shetty in a crypto currency case. The couple, however, obtained relief from the Bombay High Court against this ED attach

ED team conducting raids in cyber fraud case attacked in Delhi, 1 detained

An Enforcement Directorate team undertaking searches in a cyber fraud linked money laundering case was allegedly attacked here on Thursday, officials said. The agency has registered a police FIR about the incident that took place at a farmhouse that was raided by ED officials in the Bijwasan area of the national capital that falls under the Kapashera police station in southwest Delhi. An Enforcement Officer (EO) suffered minor injuries during the attack. He is continuing with the searches after he was given first aid, officials said. The probe pertains to a case against the PYYPL app. The alleged accused in the case, including Ashok Sharma and his brother, allegedly attacked the ED team. The situation is under control and searches are going on, the sources said. The search operations, according to sources, has been launched after the ED got inputs from the I4C and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) about cyber crimes like phishing, QR code cheating, part time job fraud leading

'ED's conviction rate very poor', says SC in Partha Chatterjee bail plea

Earlier in August, the Supreme Court had questioned the 'quality of prosecution and evidence' garnered in cases related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, by the Directorate of Enforcement

SC questions ED over low conviction rate in money laundering cases

The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the ED over the low rate of convictions in money laundering cases, wondering for how long former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested over alleged irregularities in academic staff recruitment in the state, could be kept in jail. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said Chatterjee has been incarcerated for over two years and the trial in the case was yet to commence. "What will happen if we don't grant bail? Trial is yet to commence, there are 183 witnesses in the cases. Trial will take time...How long can we keep him? That is the question. Here is a case where more than two years have gone. How to strike balance in such case?" the bench asked Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing ED. The top court remarked it also couldn't ignore that the allegations against the former minister were serious in nature and asked, "Mr Raju, if ultimately he is not convicted, what will happen? Waiting for 2.5-3 years is not

ED launches new raids against 'lottery king' Santiago for money laundering

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted fresh searches against Chennai-based 'lottery king' Santiago Martin, the single biggest donor to political parties with over Rs 1,300 crore in electoral bonds, as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. The action comes after the Madras High Court recently allowed the ED to proceed against Martin as the Tamil Nadu Police had decided to close the predicate or primary FIR against him and a few others and a lower court accepted this police plea. Sources said multiple premises linked to Martin were being searched on Thursday in Chennai and some other places. The federal agency last year attached assets worth about Rs 457 crore in a case against Martin linked to an alleged loss of over Rs 900 crore to the Sikkim government by fraudulent sale of the state lottery in Kerala. Future Gaming Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. is the master distributor of Sikkim lotteries and the ED has been investigating Martin, known as the .

Delhi HC grants bail to co-accused in PMLA case involving Satyendar Jain

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to two accused -- Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain -- in a case of alleged money laundering involving senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri granted regular bail to the duo nearly 10 days after the former Delhi minister was granted relief. A court had granted bail to Satyendar Jain, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in May 2022, citing "delay in trial" and his "long incarceration". The case pertains to allegations against Satyendar Jain of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain were business associates of the former Delhi minister and abetted the commission of the offence. Vaibhav Jain was represented by senior advocate Siddharth Aggarwal and lawyer Malak Bhatt. Ankush Jain was represented by senior advocate Rebecca John. On September 30, the high court refused to grant default bail to them o

Enough evidence for PMLA case against Sachin Waze, others: Special court

A special court here, while rejecting dismissed policeman Sachin Waze's plea to turn approver in a money laundering case, has said the ED prima facie has sufficient evidence against him and other accused, and that there was no need for his help. By filing such an application, Waze admits to be "privy to the offence allegedly committed by the accused", special court judge A U Kadam hearing cases pertaining to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stated in the order passed on October 23. The other accused in the case, probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), includes former Maharashtra home minister and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh. In the plea to turn approver (seek pardon) in the money laundering case, Waze had said that he wants to disclose all the facts pertaining to the case. His application was opposed by the ED, saying that prosecution under the PMLA is against the proceeds of crime with entirely different motives than the other prosecution agency. "Therefore, .

Court grants bail to AAP leader Satyendar Jain in money laundering case

A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to AAP leader and former Delhi cabinet minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case, citing "delay in trial" and his "long incarceration". Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 30, 2022, on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. He is currently in judicial custody. "Considering the delay in trial and long incarceration of 18 months, and the fact that trail will take long to start, let alone conclude, accused is favourably suited for the relief," said Special Judge Vishal Gogne. The judge granted the relief on a bail bond Rs 50,000 with two sureties of like amount. The ED case stems from an FIR lodged against Jain by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Supreme Court grants bail to MLA Abbas Ansari in money laundering case

The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to MLA Abbas Ansari in connection with a money laundering case. Abbas Ansari is the son of gangster-politician and former MLA Mukhtar Ansari, who died in jail a few months ago. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Pankaj Mithal gave the relief to Ansari. The apex court on August 14 had issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and sought its reply on the appeal filed by Ansari challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court which rejected his bail. The high court on May 9 had dismissed Ansari's bail plea. Considering the material available on record, including the flow charts which clearly demonstrate the origin of funds and also explains how the funds found their way into the accounts of the accused Ansari, this court finds him not entitled for a bail at this stage, the high court had said. The high court had also mentioned in its order that the money trail links Ansari with the movement of funds to and from the two firms -- M/s