News Analysis India

Tag: money laundering case

  • ED files fresh chargesheet in Shakti Bhog money laundering case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh chargesheet against two operatives, who allegedly provided fake business entries, in connection with its money laundering probe against Shakti Bhog foods company in an alleged over Rs 3,269 crore bank loan fraud case.

    The agency, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the prosecution complaint has been filed against Ashok Kumar Goel and Devki Nandan Garg before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here.

    It charged the two, arrested by the ED in September, for having an “active involvement in the offence of money laundering in bank fraud of Rs 3269.42 crore by Shakti Bhog Foods Limited (SBFL).” The agency accused Goel and Garg of “assisting Shakti Bhog Foods Limited and its directors in generation, acquisition, layering and siphoning off its loans funds through shell companies under their disposal”.

    “They were actively involved in providing fake bills to the company without actual business transactions,” it said in the chargesheet. These fake bills, it alleged, “Facilitated inflated stock, turnover and purchase/sale of SBFL to enable it to secure enhanced credit facilities from consortium banks on the basis of this inflated financial reports.” It said the two were “beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime.” The money laundering case against Shakti Bhog Foods Limited was filed after studying a CBI FIR that charged it and others for criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal misconduct.

    The agency had also arrested the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Shakti Bhog Foods Limited K K Sharma and a chartered accountant (CA) named Raman Bhuraria in this case.

    It has attached assets worth over Rs 98 crore and filed its first chargesheet sometime back against the company, Kumar, Bhuraria and others.

    The CBI FIR against the company and its promoters came about after the State Bank of India (SBI) registered a complaint against the company.

    According to the SBI, the directors allegedly falsified accounts and forged documents to siphon off public funds.

    The 24-year-old company, which is into manufacturing and selling wheat, flour, rice, biscuits, cookies, etc, had grown organically as it ventured into food-related diversification over a decade with a turnover growth of Rs 1,411 crore in 2008 to Rs 6,000 crore in 2014, the bank complaint had said.

  • ED arrests former Punjab MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in money laundering case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday arrested former Punjab MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in connection with a money laundering case being probed against him and others, officials said.

    They said Khaira, 56, was taken into custody by the central probe agency in Punjab under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

    The agency had raided his premises in March this year.

    The ED has alleged that Khaira is an “associate” of drug case convicts and fake passport racketeers.

    The politician has denied any wrongdoing and said he is being targeted by central agencies as he has been vocal against the Centre’s three new farm laws.

    He had recently resigned from the state assembly.

    Khaira won the assembly election in 2017 from the Bholath Assembly seat in Punjab’s Kapurthala district on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket.

    He resigned from the primary membership of the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP in January 2019 and floated his own outfit, the Punjab Ekta Party.

    He then re-joined the Congress.

  • Ex-Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh sent to 14-day judicial custody in money laundering case

    By Online Desk

    A Mumbai court on Saturday sent former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, arrested in a money laundering case, to 14-day judicial custody.

    Earlier in the day, a medical examination of Deshmukh was conducted at a state-run hospital in Mumbai before he was taken to a special court in the afternoon as his Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody ended, an official said.

    Deshmukh (71) was arrested by the ED late Monday night after 12 hours of questioning.

    A Mumbai court had on Tuesday remanded Deshmukh in ED’s custody till November 6 in connection with a multi-crore money laundering case.

    “As Deshmukh’s ED custody ended on Saturday, he was taken out of the central agency’s office here around 12.20 pm. Before being produced in the special PMLA court, he was taken to the state-run J J Hospital for his routine medical checkup in the morning,” the official said.

    The ED case against Deshmukh and others was made out after the CBI booked him in a corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribery made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. 

    Singh had alleged that Deshmukh was involved in several wrongdoings, including asking the sacked police officer Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore from bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

    The ED had on Thursday summoned Deshmukh’s son Hrishikesh Deshmukh for questioning in connection with the money laundering case. He was quizzed on Friday.

  • Ex-Maharashtra Minister Anil Deshmukh remanded to ED custody till November 6 in money laundering case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A Mumbai court on Tuesday remanded former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till November 6.

    Deshmukh, arrested by ED late Monday night after over 12 hours of questioning in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the state police establishment, was produced for remand before additional sessions judge P B Jadhav, who presided over the special holiday court.

    Before producing him in court, the prosecuting agency took the NCP leader to the state-run J J Hospital here for a regular medical checkup.

    The ED had initiated a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed its FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

    The ED’s case is that Deshmukh, while serving as the state’s home minister, misused his official position and through dismissed cop Sachin Waze collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

    The ED has also arrested two other persons in the case – Sanjeev Palande (additional collector rank official who was working as Deshmukh’s private secretary) and Kundan Shinde (Deshmukh’s personal assistant).

  • Money laundering case: Ex-Maharashtra Minister Anil Deshmukh produced in court by ED for remand

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was on Tuesday produced before a special court here by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following his arrest in a money laundering case.

    Deshmukh was produced for remand before additional sessions judge P B Jadhav, who is presiding over the special holiday court, a little after noon.

    The ED is likely to seek his custody for further questioning.

    Deshmukh was arrested by the ED late Monday night after over 12 hours of questioning in the money laundering case linked to an alleged extortion racket in the state police establishment.

    Before producing him in court, the prosecuting agency had taken the NCP leader to the state-run J J Hospital here for a regular medical checkup.

    The ED had initiated a probe against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed its FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

    The ED’s case is that Deshmukh, while serving as the state’s home minister, misused his official position and through dismissed cop Sachin Waze collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars and restaurants in Mumbai.

    The money was allegedly laundered to Nagpur-based Shri Sai Shikshan Sanstha, an education trust controlled by Deshmukh’s family.

    Deshmukh had refuted these allegations earlier and said the agency’s whole case was based on malicious statements made by a tainted cop (Waze).

    The ED has so far arrested two persons in the case – Sanjeev Palande (additional collector rank official who was working as Deshmukh’s private secretary) and Kundan Shinde (Deshmukh’s personal assistant).

    The agency last month submitted its prosecution complaint (equivalent to a charge sheet) against the duo before a special court.

  • HC refuses to quash ED summons issued to Anil Deshmukh in alleged money laundering case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday rejected the plea by filed by former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, seeking quashing of summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), asking him to appear before it in connection with a case of alleged money laundering and corruption.

    The high court said that Deshmukh had failed to make a case for quashing of such summons.

    It further said that the former minister’s plea did not merit an order to the ED and the CBI, restraining them from taking any coercive action against him.

    The court, however, said that Deshmukh, like any other common litigant had a right to approach the appropriate court seeking relief if he apprehended his arrest in the case.

    The court also directed the ED to permit Deshmukh’s lawyer to remain present within “visible distance but not audible distance” at the central agency’s office during Deshmukh’s questioning.

    The ED had begun a probe against Deshmukh and others, and summoned him for questioning after the CBI filed an FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 this year on charges of corruption and misuse of official position.

    The CBI FIR was registered following a preliminary inquiry into the allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh. 

  • Land deal-money laundering case: NCP leader Eknath Khadse gets interim bail till October 29

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: NCP leader Eknath Khadse on Monday appeared before a special court here and was granted interim bail till October 29 in connection with a 2016 Pune land deal and money laundering case.

    Khadse appeared before the court pursuant to summons issued by it earlier this month after taking cognizance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case.

    Khadse’s lawyers filed a bail application and also sought interim bail pending its hearing.

    The court granted him interim bail and posted the matter for further hearing on October 29.

    Besides Khadse, his wife Mandakini and their son-in-law Girish Chaudhary are also named as accused in the case.

    Chaudhary is presently in judicial custody.

    The ED has alleged Chaudhary and Khadse purchased government land in Bhosari near Pune for Rs 3.75 crore when its actual cost was Rs 31.01 crore.

    The prosecution case is that Khadse misused his official position as state revenue minister at the time to facilitate the transaction.

    Khadse had resigned from the state cabinet in June 2016 following the controversy over the purchase of land.

    He quit the BJP in October last year and joined the NCP.

  • SC notice to Centre on bail plea of ex-Jharkhand minister

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has sought the Centre’s response on the bail plea of former Jharkhand minister Anosh Ekka who has been convicted and sentenced to seven years in jail in a money laundering case.

    A bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and J K Maheshwari issued notices to the Union of India and sought its response on the appeal filed by Ekka challenging the order of Jharkhand high court.

    “Issue notice, returnable on November 8, 2021.

    The Respondent-State shall be served through the concerned standing counsel,” the bench said in its recent order.

    The former Jharkhand minister has challenged the August 24, 2020 order of the high court, which denied him bail saying it will not be prudent and desirable to give protection under Section 389 (seeking bail pending application for suspension of sentence) of the Code of Criminal Procedure where the accused is convicted for offence punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

    “In view of the serious charges against the appellants and the nature of evidence in the record, which this Court feels not proper to discuss in detail at this stage and as the appellants are not ready for hearing of these appeals though the same can be heard and disposed of finally as and when they get ready for the same, this Court is not inclined to admit the appellants to bail or to suspend their sentences,” the high court had said.

    A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi had sentenced the former Jharkhand minister to seven-year imprisonment and slapped him with a fine of Rs 2 crore in connection with a money laundering case.

    Ekka was being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the PMLA case against former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and others.

    “The court convicted Anosh Ekka for being guilty of offences of money laundering to the tune of Rs 20,31,77,852 as defined under Section 3 of the PMLA and punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA,” the ED had said in a statement after his conviction.

  • Money laundering case: NCP leader Eknath Khadse’s wife Mandakini appears before PMLA court

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: NCP leader Eknath Khadse’s wife Mandakini on Thursday appeared before a special court here in a money laundering case pertaining to the 2016 Pune land deal case.

    The court had issued summons to Mandakini, her husband, son-in-law Girish Chaudhary and other accused in the case after taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed in the case.

    Special judge H S Satbhai, hearing matters related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases, had in the last hearing rejected Mandakini’s anticipatory bail application.

    The court had then issued a non-bailable warrant against her considering her conduct and disobedience in not appearing before the court when the summons was issued to her last month.

    Mandakini’s lawyer Mohan Tekavde confirmed that she had appeared before the special judge.

    Meanwhile, the court allowed Eknath Khadse’s plea seeking exemption from personal appearance for the day in the wake of the Bombay High Court allowing his pre-arrest bail.

    Khadse’s son-in-law Girish Chaudhary was arrested in the case a few months ago and is currently in judicial custody.

    The ED has alleged that Chaudhary and Khadse had purchased a government land in Bhosari near Pune for Rs 3.75 crore when its actual cost was Rs 31.01 crore.

    The prosecution’s case is that Khadse allegedly misused his official position as state revenue minister at that time to facilitate the transaction.

    In June 2016, Khadse resigned as the revenue minister of the then BJP-led state government following controversy over the purchase of land.

    He quit the BJP in October last year and later joined the NCP.

  • ED summons Shiv Sena MP Gawali for questioning in PMLA case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawali for questioning in a money laundering case on October 4, official sources said on Wednesday.

    Gawali, 48, is a member of the Lok Sabha from the Yavatmal-Washim seat in Maharashtra.

    She has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case at the ED office located in South Mumbai on October 4, they said.

    The agency on Tuesday arrested her aide Saeed Khan in this criminal case filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

    The agency, while taking the custody of Khan, told a special PMLA court here on Tuesday that Gawali criminally conspired to convert a trust into a private company through Khan by “forgery and fraud” for layering of funds worth around Rs 18 crore.