News Analysis India

Tag: money laundering case

  • AAP alleges Kejriwal weighed thrice in Tihar jail with different machines, not provided cooler

    New Delhi: A day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal surrendered at the Tihar jail after completion of his interim bail in a money laundering case, the AAP leaders on Monday alleged that he was not provided cooler in his cell in prison and his weight was measured thrice in a “conspiracy”. The Tihar jail authorities refuted the AAP leaders’ claim, saying the chief minister’s weight was taken with one machine only and added that he was not provided cooler because the facility is provided after the court’s order. “The weight of Kejriwal is 63.5 kilogram, which was measured only once when he surrendered on Sunday. There was no problem with the weighing machine. His other vitals, including blood pressure and sugar, are normal,” a senior Tihar jail officer told PTI. In a press conference, senior AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi claimed that Kejriwal’s weight was measured with three weighing machines during his medical examination in Tihar on Sunday. She also claimed that at a time when temperature in Delhi is ranging from 48 degrees to 50 degrees, Kejriwal was kept in a cell where not even a cooler was provided. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States “Coolers are provided to even notorious criminals lodged in Tihar. While the popular Chief Minister Kejriwal has not been given the cooler. I want to ask the BJP and the LG how low will they stoop,” she said. Atishi said that Kejriwal suffered from diabetes for 30 years and his weight was falling since last few months, and alleged cruelty against him. “After he surrendered as a law abiding citizen, he has been kept in a heated cell without a cooler. I want to say to the BJP and the prime minister that not even the people of Delhi but the god also will not forgive them for causing atrocities to Kejriwal,” she said. Atishi also alleged that during his medical examination on Sunday, his weight was measured on three machines that showed different readings.

    His weight was found to be 61 kg and the Tihar officials used another machine that showed his weight to be 64 kg. The Tihar officials not satisfied with it used a third machine that showed his weight to be 66.5 kg, she said.

    “His weight was 70 kg when he was arrested by the ED on March 21 and it went down to 63 kg when he was weighed at home before surrendering on Monday. This shows a drop of 7 kg which is a serious matter yet the ED opposed his bail for medical tests,” she said.

    Atishi said Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj will take note of it because there appears to be a “very big conspiracy” behind this.

    The Tihar jail officer said that on May 10 when Kejriwal was released from jail his weight was 64 kg that was measured using the same machine that was used on Sunday.

    The officer said Kejriwal’s BP was measured 120/76 and sugar level remained at 120 on Monday.

    “Kejriwal is given the insulin twice a day and is under a regular watch of two doctors in the prisons,” the officer said.

    The chief minister talked to his wife Sunita Kejriwal through phone on Monday evening, he said.

    On the question of not providing cooler to the chief minister, the jail official said coolers are given to those inmates, who are unwell and the court orders the authorities to do so.

    AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also in a post on X reiterated the charge that three machines were used to weigh Kejriwal in jail.

    “In the jail, Arvind Kejriwal’s weight was measured thrice with different machines, one showed 61 kg, the second 64 kg, the third 66.5 kg. Whereas when he was weighed at home before leaving, it was 63 kg. What kind of joke is this? LG sahab, please get the machine fixed,” he said in his post.

    Singh also said that Kejriwal was kept in a small cell without any cooler even as temperature was 44 degrees Celsius.

  • Arvind Kejriwal: Arvind Kejriwal’s health has deteriorated in ED custody: AAP sources

    The blood sugar level of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is diabetic, is fluctuating and his health has deteriorated in Enforcement Directorate custody, AAP sources claimed on Wednesday. Arvind Kejriwal’s blood sugar level dropped to 46 Mg at one point of time and according to doctors, such a drop is “very dangerous”, they claimed.

    Earlier in the day, the chief minister’s wife Sunita Kejriwal said in a digital briefing that she had met him in ED custody and his sugar level was fluctuating. She appealed people to pray for his health.

    Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED last week in connection with the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He is in ED custody till March 28. The chief minister has challenged his arrest in court.

  • Money laundering case: SC extends Satyendar Jain’s medical interim bail by five weeks

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has allowed five weeks’ extension on the interim bail plea granted to former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain on medical grounds in an ED-registered money laundering case.

    The relief was given by the bench of Justices A.S. Bopanna and Bela M. Trivedi after Jain’s counsel and senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi submitted that his client had undergone a spine surgery on July 21 and needed time to recover.

    Representing the central agency, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, did not oppose the submission.

    Raju said, ED wanted its application seeking independent evaluation of Jain by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) or any other hospital to be heard on the next date.

    Accordingly, the matter adjourned for next hearing after five weeks.

    AAP senior leader Satyendra Kumar Jain was earlier granted an extension of his medical interim bail from July 10 till July 24.

    On May 26, the apex court granted interim bail to the former Minister for six weeks on medical grounds, saying a citizen had a right to receive treatment of his choice in a private hospital at his own expense.

    Jain had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the case on May 30 last year and is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him.

    As per an earlier trial court order, “Jain is the conceptualizer, visualizer and executor of the entire operation and his being aided and abated by Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain (co-accused persons in the case).”

    “The fact that Satyendar Kumar Jain wrote a letter to income tax authorities to adjust his demand of tax against the tax deposited by Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain shows their close complicity,” as per the central agency’s argument.

    The order contended that “the plea of Satyendar Kumar Jain that he was not found in physical possession of any property needs to be rejected out-rightly as for the offence of money laundering the physical possession of proceeds of crime is not necessary. Similarly, the fact that shares so acquired were transferred back to Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain will also make no difference as it may again be done to conceal the proceeds of crime or projected as a untainted money.” Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has allowed five weeks’ extension on the interim bail plea granted to former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain on medical grounds in an ED-registered money laundering case.

    The relief was given by the bench of Justices A.S. Bopanna and Bela M. Trivedi after Jain’s counsel and senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi submitted that his client had undergone a spine surgery on July 21 and needed time to recover.

    Representing the central agency, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, did not oppose the submission.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Raju said, ED wanted its application seeking independent evaluation of Jain by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) or any other hospital to be heard on the next date.

    Accordingly, the matter adjourned for next hearing after five weeks.

    AAP senior leader Satyendra Kumar Jain was earlier granted an extension of his medical interim bail from July 10 till July 24.

    On May 26, the apex court granted interim bail to the former Minister for six weeks on medical grounds, saying a citizen had a right to receive treatment of his choice in a private hospital at his own expense.

    Jain had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the case on May 30 last year and is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him.

    As per an earlier trial court order, “Jain is the conceptualizer, visualizer and executor of the entire operation and his being aided and abated by Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain (co-accused persons in the case).”

    “The fact that Satyendar Kumar Jain wrote a letter to income tax authorities to adjust his demand of tax against the tax deposited by Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain shows their close complicity,” as per the central agency’s argument.

    The order contended that “the plea of Satyendar Kumar Jain that he was not found in physical possession of any property needs to be rejected out-rightly as for the offence of money laundering the physical possession of proceeds of crime is not necessary. Similarly, the fact that shares so acquired were transferred back to Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain will also make no difference as it may again be done to conceal the proceeds of crime or projected as a untainted money.” Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • Money laundering case: SC grants two-month interim bail to Nawab Malik on medical grounds

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: 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 arrested Malik in February 2022 in a 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 sought bail on merit.

    The high court had said it will hear his plea seeking bail on merit after two weeks.

    The ED’s case against Malik is based on an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Dawood Ibrahim, a designated global terrorist and a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, and his associates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

    NEW DELHI: 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.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “We are passing the order strictly on medical conditions and have not entered into the merits of the case,” the bench said.

    The ED arrested Malik in February 2022 in a 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 sought bail on merit.

    The high court had said it will hear his plea seeking bail on merit after two weeks.

    The ED’s case against Malik is based on an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Dawood Ibrahim, a designated global terrorist and a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, and his associates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

  • Delhi HC seeks stand of NewsClick, its editor on ED plea against protection in money laundering case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of news portal NewsClick and its editor-in-chief on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking vacation of an earlier order granting them protection from coercive action in a money laundering case.

    Issuing a notice to NewsClick and its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, Justice Saurabh Banerjee observed that prima facie, the investigation agency’s submissions for vacation of interim protection have merit and require deliberation.

    The application is part of the ongoing proceedings on a petition by the portal seeking a copy of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) lodged by the ED in the case.

    The ED counsel said new material has been unearthed, revealing the commission of the offence of money laundering.

    He also said the petition was not maintainable as the ECIR is an internal document that cannot be supplied and the petitioners cannot “piggyback” on the interim relief.

    This is a criminal conspiracy for “paid news” where crores of rupees have come in violation of laws, the ED’s counsel submitted.

    “Prima facie, in the opinion of this court, the above contention has merit and requires deliberation. In view thereof, issue notice,” Justice Banerjee said and listed the matter for further hearing on September 6.

    ALSO READ | NewsClick: ED probes Prakash Karat-billionaire Singham email exchanges, funds transfer to journalists

    Counsel for the petitioners said there was no urgency in the matter.

    In the application for vacation of the interim order, the ED said the Supreme Court has deprecated the practice of “blanket no coercive action” orders and such orders during the course of investigation virtually amount to granting anticipatory bail to the accused.

    “Since ECIR can no longer be provided to the accused and as for grant of anticipatory bail the twin conditions of Section 45 (PMLA) are required to be complied (with), the continuation of interim protection to the accused petitioner virtually amounts to grant of anticipatory bail in a PMLA case without the satisfaction of the twin conditions.

    Therefore, the orders dated 21.06.2021 and 29.07.2021 granting interim protection must be vacated at the earliest in view of the settled position of law,” the ED application said.

    On June 21 last year, the High Court directed the ED not to take any coercive action against NewsClick and Purkayastha in connection with the money laundering case.

    The interim protection was further extended on July 29, 2021.

    The ED initiated its probe on the basis of a Delhi Police FIR and has conducted searches on the premises of NewsClick and several other places in connection with the money received from overseas.

    According to the FIR, the petitioner company, PPK Newsclick Studio Private Limited, received foreign direct investment (FDI) to the tune of Rs 9.59 crore from Worldwide Media Holdings LLC USA during 2018-19.

    It alleged that the investment was made by greatly overvaluing the shares of the petitioner company to avoid the 26 per cent FDI cap in a digital news website.

    It was further alleged that over 45 per cent of this investment was diverted or siphoned off for the payment of salary/consultancy, rent and other expenses.

    Therefore, it is alleged that the company has violated FDI and other laws of the country and caused a loss to the government exchequer.

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of news portal NewsClick and its editor-in-chief on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking vacation of an earlier order granting them protection from coercive action in a money laundering case.

    Issuing a notice to NewsClick and its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, Justice Saurabh Banerjee observed that prima facie, the investigation agency’s submissions for vacation of interim protection have merit and require deliberation.

    The application is part of the ongoing proceedings on a petition by the portal seeking a copy of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) lodged by the ED in the case.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The ED counsel said new material has been unearthed, revealing the commission of the offence of money laundering.

    He also said the petition was not maintainable as the ECIR is an internal document that cannot be supplied and the petitioners cannot “piggyback” on the interim relief.

    This is a criminal conspiracy for “paid news” where crores of rupees have come in violation of laws, the ED’s counsel submitted.

    “Prima facie, in the opinion of this court, the above contention has merit and requires deliberation. In view thereof, issue notice,” Justice Banerjee said and listed the matter for further hearing on September 6.

    ALSO READ | NewsClick: ED probes Prakash Karat-billionaire Singham email exchanges, funds transfer to journalists

    Counsel for the petitioners said there was no urgency in the matter.

    In the application for vacation of the interim order, the ED said the Supreme Court has deprecated the practice of “blanket no coercive action” orders and such orders during the course of investigation virtually amount to granting anticipatory bail to the accused.

    “Since ECIR can no longer be provided to the accused and as for grant of anticipatory bail the twin conditions of Section 45 (PMLA) are required to be complied (with), the continuation of interim protection to the accused petitioner virtually amounts to grant of anticipatory bail in a PMLA case without the satisfaction of the twin conditions.

    Therefore, the orders dated 21.06.2021 and 29.07.2021 granting interim protection must be vacated at the earliest in view of the settled position of law,” the ED application said.

    On June 21 last year, the High Court directed the ED not to take any coercive action against NewsClick and Purkayastha in connection with the money laundering case.

    The interim protection was further extended on July 29, 2021.

    The ED initiated its probe on the basis of a Delhi Police FIR and has conducted searches on the premises of NewsClick and several other places in connection with the money received from overseas.

    According to the FIR, the petitioner company, PPK Newsclick Studio Private Limited, received foreign direct investment (FDI) to the tune of Rs 9.59 crore from Worldwide Media Holdings LLC USA during 2018-19.

    It alleged that the investment was made by greatly overvaluing the shares of the petitioner company to avoid the 26 per cent FDI cap in a digital news website.

    It was further alleged that over 45 per cent of this investment was diverted or siphoned off for the payment of salary/consultancy, rent and other expenses.

    Therefore, it is alleged that the company has violated FDI and other laws of the country and caused a loss to the government exchequer.

  • ED searches premises of Emparta Infrastructures in Rose Valley money laundering case

    By IANS

    NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that it carried out searches at several premises of Emparta Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and its directors in connection with the Rose Valley ponzi scheme money laundering case

    The financial probe agency, in a statement, said that it carried out searches at several premises of the company and its directors in West Bengal’s Siliguri and Sikkim on Thursday. It said that during searches Emparta Infrastructure Pvt Limited has voluntarily tendered a draft amounting Rs 2.60 crore of their pending arrears of lease rent pertaining to a Rose Valley Group hotel.

    It also said that unaccounted cash of Rs 44 lakh was also seized from the premises during search.

    The ED had initiated a money laundering case against Rose Valley Group of companies along with other persons related to company on the basis of various FIRs registered by West Bengal Police and the CBI.

    During the probe, it was found that Rose Valley Group collected funds from the people by floating fake and fictitious schemes and defaulted the re-payments amounting to Rs 6,666 crore which constitutes the proceeds of crime. During the course of investigation, movable and immovable properties to the tune of Rs 1,172 crore have already been attached and seized so far.

    The ED had arrested Gautam Kundu, promoter, owner, chairman of Rose Valley Group of Companies, in March 2015 and he is still in judicial custody. The ED has filed a charge sheet and two supplementary charge sheets in connection with the money laundering probe.

    NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that it carried out searches at several premises of Emparta Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and its directors in connection with the Rose Valley ponzi scheme money laundering case

    The financial probe agency, in a statement, said that it carried out searches at several premises of the company and its directors in West Bengal’s Siliguri and Sikkim on Thursday. It said that during searches Emparta Infrastructure Pvt Limited has voluntarily tendered a draft amounting Rs 2.60 crore of their pending arrears of lease rent pertaining to a Rose Valley Group hotel.

    It also said that unaccounted cash of Rs 44 lakh was also seized from the premises during search.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The ED had initiated a money laundering case against Rose Valley Group of companies along with other persons related to company on the basis of various FIRs registered by West Bengal Police and the CBI.

    During the probe, it was found that Rose Valley Group collected funds from the people by floating fake and fictitious schemes and defaulted the re-payments amounting to Rs 6,666 crore which constitutes the proceeds of crime. During the course of investigation, movable and immovable properties to the tune of Rs 1,172 crore have already been attached and seized so far.

    The ED had arrested Gautam Kundu, promoter, owner, chairman of Rose Valley Group of Companies, in March 2015 and he is still in judicial custody. The ED has filed a charge sheet and two supplementary charge sheets in connection with the money laundering probe.

  • ED seizes over 289 metric tonnes of Indonesian betel nuts in money laundering case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Over 289 metric tonnes of “unaccounted” betel nuts worth Rs 11.5 crore were seized following raids at multiple premises in Nagpur and Mumbai as part of a money laundering probe against people involved in smuggling of its Indonesian variety, the Enforcement Directorate said here on Saturday.

    The ED case stems from a CBI FIR of March last year where it was alleged that many Nagpur-based traders in connivance with various public servants indulged in “smuggling” of sub-standard betel nuts/areca nuts of Indonesian origin and falsely claiming the same to be originating from member countries of South Asia Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) and South Asia Free Trading Agreement (SAFTA).

    This was done, the agency said in a statement, by using “fake” certificates of origin, and by using bogus and under-valued bills/invoices and thus “evading” Customs duty. The Indonesian betel nut is smuggled largely from across the Myanmar border.

    ALSO READ  | ED arrests Chhattisgarh CM aide Soumya Chaurasia in money laundering case

    The probe that found it said, that there is a well-organized syndicate of suppliers of Indonesian betel nut, commission agents, logistics providers, transporters, hawala operators and buyers who were smuggling this chewing item into India via the India-Myanmar border.

    “Fabricated” domestic invoices were made and smuggled betel nuts were brought to Nagpur and Gondia districts of Maharashtra, it said.

    The agency said it seized unaccounted betel nut of 289.57 metric tonnes (MT) valued at roughly Rs 11.5 crore at Nagpur apart from Rs 16.5 lakh cash.

    The godown owner could not supply the KYC of the traders who deposited the betel nut and failed to furnish any supporting documentation like stock register, bills, invoices, quality certificate, transport documents etc.

    NEW DELHI: Over 289 metric tonnes of “unaccounted” betel nuts worth Rs 11.5 crore were seized following raids at multiple premises in Nagpur and Mumbai as part of a money laundering probe against people involved in smuggling of its Indonesian variety, the Enforcement Directorate said here on Saturday.

    The ED case stems from a CBI FIR of March last year where it was alleged that many Nagpur-based traders in connivance with various public servants indulged in “smuggling” of sub-standard betel nuts/areca nuts of Indonesian origin and falsely claiming the same to be originating from member countries of South Asia Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) and South Asia Free Trading Agreement (SAFTA).

    This was done, the agency said in a statement, by using “fake” certificates of origin, and by using bogus and under-valued bills/invoices and thus “evading” Customs duty. The Indonesian betel nut is smuggled largely from across the Myanmar border.

    ALSO READ  | ED arrests Chhattisgarh CM aide Soumya Chaurasia in money laundering case

    The probe that found it said, that there is a well-organized syndicate of suppliers of Indonesian betel nut, commission agents, logistics providers, transporters, hawala operators and buyers who were smuggling this chewing item into India via the India-Myanmar border.

    “Fabricated” domestic invoices were made and smuggled betel nuts were brought to Nagpur and Gondia districts of Maharashtra, it said.

    The agency said it seized unaccounted betel nut of 289.57 metric tonnes (MT) valued at roughly Rs 11.5 crore at Nagpur apart from Rs 16.5 lakh cash.

    The godown owner could not supply the KYC of the traders who deposited the betel nut and failed to furnish any supporting documentation like stock register, bills, invoices, quality certificate, transport documents etc.

  • My arrest was political, such ‘vendetta politics’ never seen earlier: Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A day after his release from jail in a money laundering case, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday claimed his arrest was political and that such kind of ‘vendetta politics’ was not seen in the country earlier.

    A special court in Mumbai granted bail to Rajya Sabha member Raut on Wednesday, saying his arrest was ‘illegal’ and a “witch-hunt”.

    Raut, who was released from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail on Wednesday after 100 days, told reporters here on Thursday that he will soon meet his party chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar.

    The NCP is an ally of the Thackeray-led Sena faction. Raut said he will also meet Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the coming days.

    The parliamentarian said he will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but did not give details about it.

    ALSO READ: Held ‘illegally’, court grants bail to Raut in money laundering case

    “I was in solitary confinement, just like Savarkar and Tilak. Even my arrest was political and I used my time for a good purpose. Whatever my party, my family and I had to endure. we have suffered. My family has lost a lot. It happens in life and politics,” Raut said.

    “But the country has never seen this kind of politics. Our country was under foreign rule for 150 years, but we did not see this kind of political vendetta in the country. Even the enemies were treated nicely,” he said.

    Raut claimed the state was being run by Deputy CM Fadnavis and that the new (Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis) government had taken some good decisions.

    The ED had arrested Raut in a money laundering case related to the Patra Chawl redevelopment project.

    MUMBAI: A day after his release from jail in a money laundering case, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday claimed his arrest was political and that such kind of ‘vendetta politics’ was not seen in the country earlier.

    A special court in Mumbai granted bail to Rajya Sabha member Raut on Wednesday, saying his arrest was ‘illegal’ and a “witch-hunt”.

    Raut, who was released from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail on Wednesday after 100 days, told reporters here on Thursday that he will soon meet his party chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar.

    The NCP is an ally of the Thackeray-led Sena faction. Raut said he will also meet Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the coming days.

    The parliamentarian said he will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but did not give details about it.

    ALSO READ: Held ‘illegally’, court grants bail to Raut in money laundering case

    “I was in solitary confinement, just like Savarkar and Tilak. Even my arrest was political and I used my time for a good purpose. Whatever my party, my family and I had to endure. we have suffered. My family has lost a lot. It happens in life and politics,” Raut said.

    “But the country has never seen this kind of politics. Our country was under foreign rule for 150 years, but we did not see this kind of political vendetta in the country. Even the enemies were treated nicely,” he said.

    Raut claimed the state was being run by Deputy CM Fadnavis and that the new (Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis) government had taken some good decisions.

    The ED had arrested Raut in a money laundering case related to the Patra Chawl redevelopment project.

  • National Herald: Fresh ED summons to DK Shivakumar in money laundering case

    By PTI

    BENGALURU: The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Congress Karnataka president DK Shivakumar and his MP-brother D K Suresh to depose before the investigating officer on November 7 in the alleged National Herald money laundering case.

    “The Investigation Officer (IO) for the National Herald and Young India case has now changed. Me and my brother received summons day before yesterday (Thursday) to depose with certain documents on November 7,” Shivakumar told reporters here.

    He said though he has furnished certain documents, the ED has asked for a few more, which they would produce before the IO.

    According to him, the ED and the CBI have registered separate cases against him.

    “The ED and the CBI have filed a case against me in the disproportionate assets case. I have moved the Delhi High Court saying that this cannot be done. We have to see what law says,” he said.

    He wondered why the probe agencies were after him.

    “I am continuing the legal battle. I don’t know why they are torturing me with their repeated summons,” he said.

    The latest round of questioning pertains to Shivakumar and Suresh donating an unspecified amount of money in the past to Young India, the company that owns National Herald. The agency wants to know the details of the transactions, sources said.

    Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others like Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal have been questioned by the ED over the last few months in the National Herald money laundering case.

    Shivakumar first got in the ED crosshairs when he was arrested by the agency on September 3, 2019 following multiple rounds of questioning in a case that emerged from an Income Tax Departmental action against him.

    The Delhi High Court granted him bail in October that year. In May this year, the agency filed a charge sheet against him and some others linked to him in this case.

    The case was registered after taking cognisance of a charge sheet (prosecution complaint) filed by the Income Tax Department against them in 2018 before a Special Court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions worth crores of rupees.

    The department accused Shivakumar and his alleged associates of transporting huge amounts of unaccounted cash on a regular basis through hawala channels with the help of three other accused.

    BENGALURU: The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Congress Karnataka president DK Shivakumar and his MP-brother D K Suresh to depose before the investigating officer on November 7 in the alleged National Herald money laundering case.

    “The Investigation Officer (IO) for the National Herald and Young India case has now changed. Me and my brother received summons day before yesterday (Thursday) to depose with certain documents on November 7,” Shivakumar told reporters here.

    He said though he has furnished certain documents, the ED has asked for a few more, which they would produce before the IO.

    According to him, the ED and the CBI have registered separate cases against him.

    “The ED and the CBI have filed a case against me in the disproportionate assets case. I have moved the Delhi High Court saying that this cannot be done. We have to see what law says,” he said.

    He wondered why the probe agencies were after him.

    “I am continuing the legal battle. I don’t know why they are torturing me with their repeated summons,” he said.

    The latest round of questioning pertains to Shivakumar and Suresh donating an unspecified amount of money in the past to Young India, the company that owns National Herald. The agency wants to know the details of the transactions, sources said.

    Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others like Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal have been questioned by the ED over the last few months in the National Herald money laundering case.

    Shivakumar first got in the ED crosshairs when he was arrested by the agency on September 3, 2019 following multiple rounds of questioning in a case that emerged from an Income Tax Departmental action against him.

    The Delhi High Court granted him bail in October that year. In May this year, the agency filed a charge sheet against him and some others linked to him in this case.

    The case was registered after taking cognisance of a charge sheet (prosecution complaint) filed by the Income Tax Department against them in 2018 before a Special Court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions worth crores of rupees.

    The department accused Shivakumar and his alleged associates of transporting huge amounts of unaccounted cash on a regular basis through hawala channels with the help of three other accused.

  • Chhattisgarh: ED seizes Rs 4-cr cash, jewellery in money laundering case raids

    By PTI

    RAIPUR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized about Rs 4 crore worth of cash and jewellery during searches at several locations linked to government officers and businessmen in Chhattisgarh in connection with a money laundering case.

    The seizures have been made from both the government officers and private entities raided, agency sources said.

    The ED action pertains to a money laundering investigation into alleged illegal levy commissions sourced by certain entities from transporters in Chhattisgarh, the sources said.

    The federal agency has taken cognisance of an Income Tax Department complaint and charge sheet to file a case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

    According to sources, separate teams of the ED have been conducting raids in state capital Raipur, Raigarh, Mahasamund, Korba and other districts since Tuesday.

    Multiple teams of the agency escorted by central paramilitary forces personnel were part of the raids.

    The searches covered premises of three Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, including a district collector, businessman, including Suryakant Tiwari, and politicians of the ruling party, including former MLA and chairman of state’s seeds development corporation Agni Chandrakar, the sources said.

    Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had termed the raids as an “act of intimidation”.

    The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not able to fight directly, hence it is trying to fight through the ED, Income Tax (I-T) department and the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Baghel told reporters here.

    “I have already said that they will come again and it’s not the last time. Their visits will increase as the election approaches. This is just an act of intimidation and nothing else,” he said.

    RAIPUR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized about Rs 4 crore worth of cash and jewellery during searches at several locations linked to government officers and businessmen in Chhattisgarh in connection with a money laundering case.

    The seizures have been made from both the government officers and private entities raided, agency sources said.

    The ED action pertains to a money laundering investigation into alleged illegal levy commissions sourced by certain entities from transporters in Chhattisgarh, the sources said.

    The federal agency has taken cognisance of an Income Tax Department complaint and charge sheet to file a case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

    According to sources, separate teams of the ED have been conducting raids in state capital Raipur, Raigarh, Mahasamund, Korba and other districts since Tuesday.

    Multiple teams of the agency escorted by central paramilitary forces personnel were part of the raids.

    The searches covered premises of three Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, including a district collector, businessman, including Suryakant Tiwari, and politicians of the ruling party, including former MLA and chairman of state’s seeds development corporation Agni Chandrakar, the sources said.

    Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had termed the raids as an “act of intimidation”.

    The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not able to fight directly, hence it is trying to fight through the ED, Income Tax (I-T) department and the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Baghel told reporters here.

    “I have already said that they will come again and it’s not the last time. Their visits will increase as the election approaches. This is just an act of intimidation and nothing else,” he said.