Page 11 - Money Laundering

Restrictions on cash transaction: Know details before making any payment

The government's intention is to curb black money, promote digital transactions, and ensure tax compliance

Nirav Modi, Mallya fled India due to agencies' delay in arrest, says court

Businessmen involved in multi-million dollar scams, such as Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya, were able to flee the country because probe agencies failed to arrest them at the proper time, a special court here said recently. Special judge M G Deshpande made the remark while hearing a plea of an accused booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) seeking modification in his bail condition. The court on May 29 accepted the plea of Vyomesh Shah, an accused in a money laundering case, to drop the bail condition of getting the court's prior permission to travel abroad. The detailed order was made available recently. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had argued that allowing Shah's application would give rise to situations like Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya and Mehul Choksi. Rejecting the probe agency's contention, the judge said, "I thoughtfully examined this argument and felt it necessary to note that all these persons fled because of the failure of the investigating

Money laundering case: IAS Manish Ranjan appears before ED for questioning

Senior IAS officer Manish Ranjan on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a money laundering case in which the agency recently arrested Jharkhand Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam, official sources said. Ranjan arrived at the ED office here around 11.15 am, they said. Ranjan is a former secretary of the Rural Development department. He is currently the secretary of the Land, Road and Building department and had been asked to depose before the federal agency at its zonal office here on May 28. The IAS officer had earlier been summoned to appear before the ED officials on May 24 but he skipped the summons and had sought more time. The summons is linked to the ED investigation in which Congress leader and state Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam, his former personal secretary Sanjeev Kumar Lal and the latter's domestic help Jahangir Alam were arrested early this month. The agency had claimed to have recovered more than Rs 32 crore from

Jharkhand HC seeks ED's response in bail plea filed by Ex-CM Hemant Soren

The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file a reply on the bail application moved by former chief minister Hemant Soren. Soren, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam, filed the petition before the high court on Monday and requested an early hearing of the matter. Appearing on behalf of Soren before a bench of Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay, senior advocate Kapil Sibal pleaded that the JMM leader was a victim of political conspiracy. The court directed the ED to file a response in the matter and set June 10 as the next date of the hearing. In his petition, Soren pleaded before the court that his name does not figure in any of the documents about 8.5 acres of land in the Bargain circle and no offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act is made out against him. He also claimed that the ED was relying only on statements of some people who ha

Court extends ED remand of Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam for 3 more days

A special PMLA court in Ranchi on Monday extended Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam's remand with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for three more days in connection with an alleged money laundering case, his legal representatives said. Alam had been taken into custody by the ED on May 15 following two days of interrogation at the agency's office. Initially remanded for six days by the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court starting May 17, his remand was subsequently extended for five days on May 22. Alam's lawyer, Kishlay Prasad, said that the ED prayed for a three-day extension of remand for further inquiry, which was granted by the court. "The ED indicated the necessity for additional inquiries and the requirement for details regarding immovable properties," Prasad elaborated. Alam, who serves as the state parliamentary affairs minister and represents the Pakur seat in the Jharkhand Assembly, is under investigation for alleged irregularities and bribery in the state rural

ED raids ex-DPIIT Secy Ramesh Abhishek's premises in money laundering probe

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided the premises of retired IAS officer and former Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) secretary Ramesh Abhishek as part of a disproportionate assets linked money laundering probe against him, official sources said. The ED case stems from a recent CBI FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the 1982-batch officer. He was raided by the CBI in February. Abhishek retired in 2019 from the DPIIT (erstwhile Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion). The ED is searching the premises of Abhishek as part of a money laundering investigation, the sources said. The CBI had alleged in its FIR that Abhishek enriched himself "illicitly" after retirement by receiving "huge amounts" as consultation fee from private companies whose matters he had dealt while in service. The CBI and ED have also booked his daughter Vanessa. The retired officer also held the post of chairman, Forward Markets ...

No interim relief for Hemant Soren; JMM chief cites Kejriwal's bail to SC

The Supreme Court scheduled former chief minister Hemant Soren's hearing for May 17, challenging his arrest in money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam

Crypto companies bank on fair play as Binance logs into FIU-IND

India to have 48 registered crypto entities after KuCoin, Binance register

Money laundering case: ED summons J'khand minister Alam for questioning

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Jharkhand Rural Development Minister and Congress leader Alamgir Alam for questioning in a money laundering case on May 14, official sources said Sunday. The federal agency had last week arrested Alam's personal secretary Sanjiv Lal and the latter's domestic help following the seizure of more than Rs 32 crore cash from a flat linked to them. Alam, 70, has been asked to depose at the zonal office of the ED in Ranchi on Tuesday for recording his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. The money laundering investigation pertains to alleged irregularities in the state rural development department.

India, Nepal hold first-ever bilateral meeting on money laundering

India and Nepal on Wednesday concluded their first-ever bilateral meeting between their probe agencies tasked to combat money laundering and discussed ways to check the crime taking place through the porous border between the two neighbours. A visiting delegation of Nepal's department of money laundering investigation (DMLI), led by its Director General Pushpa Raj Shahi, attended the two-day meet with the officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). "This was the first head of the agency level meeting between the two anti-money laundering agencies of India and Nepal. The meeting was aimed at developing mutual cooperation and strengthening capacity building in the areas of money laundering and asset recovery between India and Nepal," an official statement issued by the ED said. The Indian side was led by ED Director (in-charge) Rahul Navin and both the sides had officials from their respective embassies in Delhi and Kathmandu apart from the Indian external affairs ministry. Duri

Supreme Court may pass interim order on Arvind Kejriwal's bail on May 10

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and is currently detained in Tihar Jail under judicial custody in connection to a money laundering case

Prisoner has right to medical treatment: HC on interim bail to Naresh Goyal

A prisoner also has the right to medical treatment and is entitled to dignity, the Bombay High Court observed while granting interim bail for two months on medical grounds to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, arrested in a money laundering case. A single bench of Justice N J Jamadar said there was a difference between undergoing treatment as an undertrial prisoner and as a citizen with no restraint. The bench had on Monday granted interim bail for two months to Goyal on medical grounds. Goyal (75) had sought interim bail on medical and humanitarian grounds as both he and his wife, Anita Goyal, are suffering from cancer. A special court had in February denied bail to Goyal but permitted him to be admitted to a private hospital of his choice and seek medical treatment. Goyal then moved the high court seeking bail on merits and to be released on interim bail on medical grounds. Justice Jamadar, in the order, perused the medical records and said, "It would be audacious to hold that t

Excise policy Case: SC questions ED on probe delay, seeks case files

The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the "delay" in its probe into the excise policy-linked money laundering case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and asked the agency to produce case files before the arrest of the AAP leader. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta also asked the ED to produce case files before and after the arrest of Delhi's former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is also an accused in the case. The bench is hearing arguments on Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest by the ED in the case. It questioned the ED on the time taken to probe the case and noted that the agency has taken two years to unearth something The bench also asked why relevant direct questions were not put to witnesses and accused in the case. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the ED, said initially Kejriwal was not the focus of the investigation in the case and his role became clear at later stage.

ED arrests J'khand minister's secy, latter's domestic help after cash haul

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday arrested Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam's personal secretary Sanjiv Lal and the latter's domestic help following a recovery of over Rs 32 crore cash from them, official sources said. The duo have been taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following their overnight questioning, the sources said. The ED on Monday had raided a 2BHK flat in the city that is allegedly occupied by Lal's domestic help Jehangir, as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the state rural development department, they said. It had recovered over Rs 32 crore cash apart from Rs 3 crore from some other premises that were searched by the central agency. The total cash recovery stands at Rs 35.23 crore, the sources said. Jharkhand rural development minister and Congress leader Alam had denied any wrongdoing on his part.

Jet Airways founder granted interim bail for 2 months on medical grounds

The Bombay High Court on Monday granted interim bail for two months on medical grounds to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. A single bench of Justice N J Jamadar said Goyal shall pay a surety of Rs 1 lakh and not leave Mumbai without prior permission from the trial court. "The applicant (Goyal) shall be released on interim bail for a period of two months. He shall abide by all conditions imposed," the bench said. The high court also directed Goyal to surrender his passport. Goyal (75) had sought the interim bail on medical and humanitarian grounds as both he and his wife Anita Goyal are suffering from cancer. A special court in February refused bail to Goyal but permitted him to be admitted in a private hospital of his choice and seek medical treatment. Goyal then moved the HC, seeking bail on merits and to be released on interim bail on medical grounds. Goyal's counsel Harish Salve had urged t

ED not above the law: Delhi court slams agency for 'high handed act'

A Delhi court admonished the Enforcement Directorate for 'overstepping' its bounds by recording statements of doctors of private hospitals

FIU notifies fresh terror financing reporting alerts for capital markets

A fresh set of 'alert indicators' have been issued by India's financial intelligence unit (FIU) for capital markets, insurance companies, online payment gateway intermediaries and crypto currency service providers for effective checking of suspicious transactions in their channels as part of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime. These new guidelines have been issued under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) during the 2022-23 financial year and published in a recently released report that has been accessed by PTI. This is part of the anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) regime followed by the country as part of which financial institutions and intermediaries are mandated to share suspicious transaction reports (STRs) with the FIU which subsequently analyses them and shares them for action with various investigative and intelligence agencies. FIU proactively engages with the financial sector

ED searches, assets attachment, convictions rose exponentially under BJP

Searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the anti-money laundering law rose by 86 times while arrests and attachment of assets jumped by around 25 times in the ten years since 2014 compared to the preceding nine-year period, according to official data. An analysis of the data by PTI for the last ten years, between April 2014 and March 2024, against the nine years from July 2005 to March 2014 presents a picture of the federal agency's "intensified" action under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The PMLA was enacted in 2002 and implemented from July 1, 2005, to check serious crimes of tax evasion, generation of black money and money laundering. While the opposition parties have alleged that the ED's action during the last decade was part of the BJP-led central government's "oppressive" tactics against its rivals and others, the Union government and the ruling party have asserted that the agency is independent and its investigations

'Admission of guilt': Delhi L-G Saxena writes open letter to CM Kejriwal

'It has become habitual on the part of your ministers to blame officers for their own fault,' he wrote

Excise policy scam: Court sends K Kavitha to judicial custody till April 23

A Delhi court on Monday sent BRS leader K Kavitha, arrested in connection with a corruption case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, to judicial custody till April 23. The daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao was arrested from the Tihar Jail, where she was lodged after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The CBI produced the accused before the court on expiry of her three-day police custody granted earlier by the judge and sought her JC. The CBI told the court that she was not required for further custodial interrogation. Advocate Nitesh Rana, representing Kavitha along with Deepak Nagar, opposed the police plea, saying the grounds were not sufficient to keep her in custody since she is no longer required for custodial interrogation. CBI officials had recently questioned Kavitha inside prison after obtaining permission from a special court. The BRS leader was questioned about the WhatsApp chats recovered from co-accused Buchi Babu