Page 2 - Money Laundering

Mehul Choksi assured humane jail conditions if extradited to India

Wanted fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi could be lodged in Barrack No. 12 of Arthur Road Jail with amenities meeting European human rights standards

Lookout circular against Shilpa Shetty, husband in ₹60 cr cheating case

The Mumbai police have issued a Lookout Circular (LOC) against Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra in connection with a Rs 60 crore cheating case, officials said on Friday. The LOC was issued by the Economic Offences Wing of the city police as the couple makes frequent international trips, an official said. A case was registered against the actor and her husband at Juhu police station on August 14 for allegedly duping a businessman of nearly Rs 60 crore in a loan-cum-investment deal, he said. A Lookout Circular is a mechanism used to prevent a person from leaving the country or to track their movements, typically by issuing an alert to immigration and border control points.

Arrested TMC MLA sent to judicial remand by PMLA court in ED case

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here on Saturday remanded TMC MLA Jiban Krishna Saha, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), to judicial custody for 14 days. Saha, who was arrested on August 25 by the federal agency on money laundering charges, was produced before the court at the end of his six-day ED remand. The agency's lawyer Bhaskar Prasad Banerjee prayed before the special court judge for Saha's judicial custody. The MLA did not make any bail prayer before the court. The legislator from the Burwan constituency in Murshidabad district was arrested by the federal probe agency after searches were conducted at his residence. The raids also covered the premises of his associates and an alleged middleman named Prasanna Kumar Roy. Saha was earlier arrested by the CBI in connection with the alleged school jobs recruitment irregularities in April, 2023 and was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May, 2024. The ED has alleged that Saha, along with hi

ED issued first 'Purple Notice' from Interpol in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has secured the publication of its first Interpol-issued 'Purple Notice' in a trade-based money laundering case. The notice was issued by the Lyon-based global police body on August 21, the federal probe agency said in a statement. The 'Purple Notice' is one of eight types of notices published by Interpol. It provides its 196 member countries with information on modus operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals. "The publishing of the Purple Notice is an attempt of Enforcement Directorate at generating awareness and sensitising its global counterparts to these new emerging money laundering trends," it said. The probe, in which the notice was issued, pertains to an organised network of domestic and foreign shell entities engaged in "large-scale" laundering of funds under the guise of international trade. The conspirators exploited trade mechanisms and banking channels by under-invoicing imports, using sham

ED raids premises linked to Karnataka MLA, others in online gaming case

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted multiple searches at the premises linked to Karnataka Congress MLA K C Veerendra Pappy and some others as part of an online gaming and betting-linked money laundering case, official sources said. Pappy is a legislator from the Chitradurga assembly seat. The action is being undertaken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Premises linked to the MLA and some others are being covered in a case linked to online betting and gaming, the sources said.

India's online gaming ban may fuel offshore betting, money laundering

With fantasy sports, putting real money behind players' on-field performance has been elevated to a game of skill, at least in the eye of the law

ED raids Tamil Nadu Minister I Periyasamy, son in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday searched multiple premises linked to Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader I Periyasamy and his MLA son as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. The raids were undertaken in Chennai and Dindigul under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The premises of I P Sentilkumar, the son of the 72-year-old minister for rural development, panchayats and panchayat unions, were also searched, according to the sources. Periyasamy represents the Athoor assembly constituency in Dindigul district. There was no immediate comment from Periyasamy or the DMK on the ED action. The money laundering investigation stems from an April order of the Madras High Court, which directed a special court in Dindigul to frame charges against Periyasamy and his family members in connection with a Rs 2.1 crore "disproportionate" assets case. The order came in response to some criminal revision petitions filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and

ED questions Suresh Raina in alleged 'illegal' online betting app case

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina was on Wednesday questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged illegal online betting app-linked money laundering case, official sources said. Rains (38) was seen interacting with CISF personnel and Enforcement Directorate (ED) staff outside the agency's office in central Delhi before he marked his attendance at around 11 am. The federal probe agency recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of the investigation linked to a sports betting app (application) named 1xBet, the sources said. The former Indian cricketer is understood to have been linked to the app through certain endorsements. The ED wants to understand his links with this app, any endorsement fee earned and the mode of communication between the two parties, according to the sources. The agency had recently called representatives of Google and Meta for questioning as part of this probe. It also conducted multi-state searches on Tuesd

ED raids against UP realty group for ₹248 cr fraud with home buyers

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted searches against an Uttar Pradesh-based realty group as part of a money laundering probe against it for allegedly duping investors to the tune of Rs 248 crore, official sources said. At least eight premises in Lucknow and two in Delhi are being searched in the case against Rohtas Projects Ltd., the sources said. The action is being carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The money laundering case stems from as many as 87 FIRs filed by home/commercial space buyers since 2021 alleging they were duped and not given their properties. As per a forensic audit conducted by the UP RERA (Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority), the "proceeds of crime" in this case is Rs 248 crore, the sources said. The searches are being conducted with an aim to find evidence and the assets of the promoters for attachment as they are "absconding" since the last four years, the sources claimed. The promoters of th

Singapore to sell Hermes bags, gold bars seized from money launderers

The local unit of consulting firm Deloitte has been appointed to manage the process of selling the non-cash assets

Actor Rana Daggubati appears before ED in online betting linked PMLA case

Actor Rana Daggubati on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here in connection with a money laundering case involving illegal online betting and gambling by certain platforms. The federal agency has issued summons to four actors--Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati and Lakshmi Manchu-- last month, asking them to appear on different dates at the agency's zonal office here for questioning in the case. Raj and Deverakonda earlier appeared. The actors had "endorsed" online betting apps allegedly involved in generating "illicit" funds, according to official sources. During their appearance, the agency is expected to record the statements of the actors under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had taken cognisance of as many as five state police FIRs to register its case against these actors and a number of other celebrities and social media influencers. These individuals are suspected to have "endorsed" online betting a

ED recovered ₹23K cr laundered money, distributed it to victims: SG to SC

The Enforcement Directorate has recovered around Rs 23,000 crore laundered money and distributed it to the victims of financial crimes, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court on Thursday. The statement was made by the top law officer before a special bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma during the open court hearing on a batch of pleas seeking review of the controversial May 2 judgement of the apex court. The apex court had on May 2 ordered liquidation of Bhushan Power & Steel Limited (BPSL) while setting aside a resolution plan of JSW Steel Limited for the ailing firm. The CJI-led bench on July 31 recalled the verdict and decided to hear afresh the review pleas in the high stake matter. During the hearing on the review pleas, a lawyer referred to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) probe in the BPSL case as well. Here also ED is there, the CJI quipped. In response, the solicitor general said, Let me tell a fact, which was never

ED raids in Lucknow in money laundering case against ex-UP Invest CEO

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted searches here in connection with a money laundering case against suspended IAS officer and former Invest Uttar Pradesh CEO Abhishek Prakash, official sources said. Four premises linked to alleged middleman Nikant Jain, who allegedly asked for a bribe on behalf of Prakash, are being searched in the city under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. Apart from Jain's house, two premises registered as offices of companies related to him and his family members are being searched. The fourth is a hotel where his family members are common directors, they said. Jain was arrested earlier by Uttar Pradesh Police. Prakash, a 2006-batch IAS officer, was suspended in March this year by the Uttar Pradesh government after an investor in the solar industry lodged a complaint alleging that Jain demanded a commission to facilitate approvals for projects.

ED summons Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani in bank loan fraud case

Anil Ambani has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate on August 5 for questioning in a money laundering case tied to alleged fraud involving bank loans worth crores of rupees

ED summons Anil Ambani in ₹10,000 crore loan diversion probe after raids

Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani over alleged ₹10,000 cr loan fraud; probe reveals fund diversion, shell firms, Yes Bank link

ED's first-ever raids in Andaman & Nicobar linked to cooperative bank fraud

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted its first-ever searches in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as part of a money laundering case probe linked to an alleged cooperative bank loan 'fraud' involving a former MP from the Union Territory, official sources said. The case pertains to the Andaman Nicobar State Cooperative Bank (ANSCB) and its vice chairman Kuldeep Rai Sharma. Sharma, a 57-year-old Congress leader, is a former MP of the UT (2019-24). Nine places in and around Port Blair and two in Kolkata were raided by the officials of the central probe agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. This is the first time that the agency has undertaken searches in the Union Territory located in the Bay of Bengal, they said. Sources said the agency has recovered some documents pointing towards "large-scale" irregularities in the grant of loans and overdraft facilities by ANSC Bank. The role of former Congress MP Sharma is also under the scanner of

Cricket stadium needed to conduct trial involving Senthil Balaji: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Tamil Nadu government for implicating more than 2000 persons in cash-for-jobs scam cases involving ex-minister V Senthil Balaji, and sought the details of all the accused and witnesses. Terming the trial in cases involving ex-minister as "rudderless ship", a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said that had there not been judicial intervention, the "reluctant state" wanted to give a decent burial of cases involving ex-minister Senthil Balaji in the cash-for-job scam case. "With over 2000 accused and 500 witnesses it will be the most populated trial of India. A small courtroom of the trial court will not suffice and a cricket stadium will be needed to even mark the presence of the accused. Several Artificial Intelligence-generated accused will pop up to mark their presence," the bench told senior advocate Gopal Sankaranaryanan, appearing for Y Balaji, representing victims of the scam and opposing the decision for clubbing of th

Actor Prakash Raj appears before ED in online betting linked to PMLA case

Actor Prakash Raj on Wednesday appeared before the ED officials here for questioning in a money laundering case linked to illegal online betting and gambling by certain platforms. The actor, mainly popular in Telugu, Kannada and other South Indian films, appeared before the officials of the probe agency at its zonal office here. Besides Raj, the ED had also summoned actors Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda and Lakshmi Manchu for questioning in the case. The agency asked Daggubati (40) to appear before the zonal office here on July 23, Raj (60) on July 30, Deverakonda (36) on August 6 and Lakshmi (47) on August 13. The actors had "endorsed" online betting apps allegedly involved in generating "illicit" funds, official sources had said. However, the ED gave a fresh date of August 11 to actor Daggubati after he failed to appear on July 23, seeking deferment of the summons. During their appearance, the agency is expected to record the statements of the actors under the provisions of

ED raids 18 places in Chhattisgarh in ₹500 crore medical supply scam probe

The ED is investigating suspected violations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act

Google officials depose before ED in online betting linked PMLA case

Representatives of Google on Monday deposed before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of a money laundering probe linked to the promotion of "illegal" online betting and gambling platforms, official sources said. Executives from Meta did not depose, they said. The ED had called the officials of the two tech giants, first on July 21 and later extended their deposition to July 28 as they sought more time to appear. The agency may also record the statement of a designated "compliance officer" of Google under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) apart from obtaining some documents from the company on Monday, the sources said. A Google spokesperson had last week told PTI in a statement that the company was "committed to keeping our platforms safe and secure, prohibiting the promotion of illegal gambling ads." "We are extending our full support and cooperation to investigating agencies to hold bad actors responsible and keep users safe," the spokesperson had said. There