Tag: PMLA court

  • Kavitha arrest: Excise policy case: Delhi court sends BRS MLC K Kavitha to ED custody till March 23

    Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Saturday granted custody remand of BRS MLC K Kavitha to the Enforcement Directorate till March 23. ED sought ten days remand of K Kavitha in connection with Delhi Excise policy case.

    ED had brought MLC K Kavitha before Special Judge M K Nagpal after arresting her from Hyderabad.

    Terming her arrest illegal, the MLC said, “We will fight it out in court.”Her lawyer characterized her arrest as a blatant abuse of power, accusing the ED of violating a Supreme Court order.

    “This arrest is a blatant abuse of power. They have clearly violated the Supreme Court orders which have protected us,” said Vikram Chaudhari, a lawyer for BRS MLC K. Kavitha, before the Delhi court.

    The Central agency questioned Kavitha thrice last year and again summoned her this year but she did not depose, citing a Supreme Court direction that allowed her protection from any coercive action.Allegedly, one of the accused in the case, Vijay Nair, received kickbacks to the tune of at least Rs 100 crore on behalf of the AAP leaders from the “south group”, allegedly controlled by Sarath Reddy, Kavitha and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy.Kavitha has asserted that she has done nothing wrong and alleged that the Centre was “using” the ED as the BJP could not gain a “backdoor entry” into Telangana.

    The “South Group”, according to the ED, comprises Sarath Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Pharma), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (YSR Congress MP from Ongole Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh), his son Raghav Magunta, Kavitha and others.

    In the excise policy case, The agency alleged the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the AAP.

    The policy was subsequently scrapped and the Delhi Lieutenant Governor recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)

  • Soren undertook ‘blatant’ misuse of power: ED tells PMLA court

    Ranchi, The ED on Wednesday produced WhatsApp chat records between former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and a close associate where information related to transfer and posting of state government officials involving “huge amount of money” is alleged to have been discussed. The Enforcement Directorate made the submission before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi while producing the 48-year-old JMM leader on the expiry of his five-day remand.

    After the ED informed the court of Special Judge Dinesh Rai that its investigation against Soren was “not restricted” to alleged fraudulent acquisition of a 8.5 acres land in Ranchi by him, but there are “several other properties linked to him (Soren)”, the court extended his custody by five days.

    Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 from the Raj Bhavan after about seven hours of his questioning at his official residence at Kanke Road here. He resigned as the CM before the agency took him under custody. The ED told the court that during the time Soren was in its custody, “details of several other properties have also emerged, to which the accused person Shri Hemant Soren is neither divulging true information in his knowledge nor showing cooperation”.

    The federal agency said it was also undertaking raids in this case on Wednesday and it wanted to confront Soren with Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a revenue department sub- inspector, whom it has arrested in this case for allegedly conspiring with the former CM for allegedly acquiring 12 plots of land measuring about 8.5 acres.

    It informed the court that Soren was confronted with WhatsApp chats between him and his close associate Binod Singh which it claimed were “highly incriminating and contain details of several properties and had several confidential documents”. These chats “not only include exchange of confidential information regarding several properties but other incriminating information relating to transfer and posting, sharing of government records, etc., out of which huge amount of money appears to have been generated and transacted”. The agency claimed that Binod Singh also had WhatsApp chats with several other persons regarding transfer and posting of officials and sharing of several admit cards of students appearing for competitive exams held by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.

    While appending some pictures of the WhatsApp exchanges between Soren and Binod Singh, the ED said these were only “a few samples” and such conversations run in over 530 pages.

    The ED said it requested the politician to produce the mobile phone on which he had conversations with Binod Singh but he “deliberately” did not furnish the device to “conceal facts and stall investigation relating to suspected proceeds of crime”.

    “The proceeds of crime acquired by him is not only restricted to the investigation of the property measuring 8.5 acres but there are several other properties linked to him (Soren) and investigation to identify the said proceeds of crime and its trail of money is essentially required at this stage,” the agency said.

    The ED, seeking further remand of Soren, told the court that Soren undertook “blatant misuse of power in hampering and frustrating the evidences” linked to the 8.5 acre measuring immovable asset.

    The agency said it issued the first summons to Soren for questioning on August 8, 2023 and called him for recording of his statement six days later on August 14.

    It claimed that a man identified as Raj Kumar Pahan filed a petition before the circle officer of Baragai in Ranchi on August 16 saying some people have got illegal ‘jamabandi’ (documents of legal rights) of his land and requested the authorities to save his land.

    The land was resorted to Pahan on January 29 this year even as the agency said it was conducting raids in this case in Delhi that day, the ED said.

    It was alleged by the agency before the court that it seized documents related to this 8.5 acre land from the cupboard of Soren’s room that is located in a Delhi house.

    The agency also said that when it conducted the survey of this land in April last year, it met a ‘chowkidar’ (caretaker) posted at the property named Santosh Munda who told its officials that Soren and his wife Kalpana visited the property “two-three times”.

    It is evident, the ED said, Soren “acquired proceeds of crime and also indulged in corrupt practice and misuse of position for destruction of evidence in order to conceal the proceeds of crime acquired by him to keep himself away from the property measuring 8.5 acres”.

    The agency also told the court that as Soren was taken to the Jharkhand assembly on February 5 and therefore a “substantial time passed out in arrangements and bringing him back to its office for investigation”.

    The ED sought Soren’s enhanced custody to “ascertain the source of funds” through which the said land was acquired and to confront him and other accused.

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  • Money laundering: Maha education society dupedĀ medical aspirants of over Rs 65 cr, says ED

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The former working president of the Kolhapur-based Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Education Society (SCSES) and other accused had collected over Rs 65 crore from medical aspirants for admission in a college run by the trust, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed in its charge-sheet in the case.

    The money collected from 350 medical aspirants was used for purchasing properties or for personal use by the accused, the probe agency alleged in the charge-sheet recently filed in the money laundering case.

    According to the ED, the SCSES had collected the amount despite being aware that it did not have necessary permissions from the Medical Council of India or Maharashtra University of Health Science for granting admissions to the MBBS course.

    The ED is probing the case pertaining to duping of medical aspirants by the SCSES, in which the trust’s former working president Mahadev Deshmukh and his brother Appashaheb, the then secretary have been arrested.

    The Deshmukh brothers are currently in judicial custody.

    The probe agency filed its charge-sheet before a special PMLA court against Mahadev, three former officer bearers.

    As per the charge-sheet, Mahadev Deshmukh in collusion with the other accused had cheated around 350 gullible students from 2011 to 2016 and collected around Rs 65.

    70 crore on the pretext of offering admission for MBBS course in the college called Institute of Medical Science and Research (IMSR) run by the SCSES.

    The accused assured the students of granting admission despite being aware that the society did not have permission from the Medical Council of India and the Maharastra University of Health Science, it stated.

    The students were neither given admission, nor was their amount refunded, it said.

    The funds were allegedly collected in cash and shown as hospital income and integrated in the financial system through seven bank accounts of the society and colleges, it said.

    The ED has also claimed that the money was further layered in the guise of salaries, processing fees, construction payments, purchase of medical equipment etc., and was either integrated in the individual bank account of the accused persons or withdrawn in cash by them.

    The proceeds of crime was utilised for purchase of movable and immovable properties or for personal use, it said.

    Meanwhile, the SCSES’ present director Arun Gore, in his statement told the ED, claimed that after he joined as the charitable educational trust’s director, many students had approached the new board with their grievances.

    It came to light that the earlier board of directors had taken cash from approximately 750 students and given them bogus assurance of admission, Gore’s statement said.

    As per the charge-sheet, he has submitted a list of those students and the details of the cash amount collected from 720 students.

    The director has also alleged that when the aggrieved students approached the earlier board of directors, they issued cheques in their names.

    However, those cheques bounced, and the students filed a case under section 420 (cheating) of the IPC and Negotiable Instrument Act.

    The students used to deposit cash with Maruti Shankar Shitole and Kiran Dhumal, the then administrative officer and senior clerk respectively.

    The duo used to give the collected sum to the Deshmukh brothers and Mohammad Shad Siddiqui, the then secretary, Gore has alleged in his statement.

    MUMBAI: The former working president of the Kolhapur-based Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Education Society (SCSES) and other accused had collected over Rs 65 crore from medical aspirants for admission in a college run by the trust, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed in its charge-sheet in the case.

    The money collected from 350 medical aspirants was used for purchasing properties or for personal use by the accused, the probe agency alleged in the charge-sheet recently filed in the money laundering case.

    According to the ED, the SCSES had collected the amount despite being aware that it did not have necessary permissions from the Medical Council of India or Maharashtra University of Health Science for granting admissions to the MBBS course.

    The ED is probing the case pertaining to duping of medical aspirants by the SCSES, in which the trust’s former working president Mahadev Deshmukh and his brother Appashaheb, the then secretary have been arrested.

    The Deshmukh brothers are currently in judicial custody.

    The probe agency filed its charge-sheet before a special PMLA court against Mahadev, three former officer bearers.

    As per the charge-sheet, Mahadev Deshmukh in collusion with the other accused had cheated around 350 gullible students from 2011 to 2016 and collected around Rs 65.

    70 crore on the pretext of offering admission for MBBS course in the college called Institute of Medical Science and Research (IMSR) run by the SCSES.

    The accused assured the students of granting admission despite being aware that the society did not have permission from the Medical Council of India and the Maharastra University of Health Science, it stated.

    The students were neither given admission, nor was their amount refunded, it said.

    The funds were allegedly collected in cash and shown as hospital income and integrated in the financial system through seven bank accounts of the society and colleges, it said.

    The ED has also claimed that the money was further layered in the guise of salaries, processing fees, construction payments, purchase of medical equipment etc., and was either integrated in the individual bank account of the accused persons or withdrawn in cash by them.

    The proceeds of crime was utilised for purchase of movable and immovable properties or for personal use, it said.

    Meanwhile, the SCSES’ present director Arun Gore, in his statement told the ED, claimed that after he joined as the charitable educational trust’s director, many students had approached the new board with their grievances.

    It came to light that the earlier board of directors had taken cash from approximately 750 students and given them bogus assurance of admission, Gore’s statement said.

    As per the charge-sheet, he has submitted a list of those students and the details of the cash amount collected from 720 students.

    The director has also alleged that when the aggrieved students approached the earlier board of directors, they issued cheques in their names.

    However, those cheques bounced, and the students filed a case under section 420 (cheating) of the IPC and Negotiable Instrument Act.

    The students used to deposit cash with Maruti Shankar Shitole and Kiran Dhumal, the then administrative officer and senior clerk respectively.

    The duo used to give the collected sum to the Deshmukh brothers and Mohammad Shad Siddiqui, the then secretary, Gore has alleged in his statement.

  • Allegations against Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik look to be well-founded: PMLA court

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Prima facie, there are reasonable grounds to believe that allegations against Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik are “well-founded”, observed a special court here while remanding him in the custody of the ED in connection with a money laundering case.

    Special judge RN Rokade, designated to hear matters related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), also said that sufficient time is required to be granted for the investigation of the offence and Malik’s custodial interrogation was necessary.

    The court on Wednesday remanded Malik, a senior NCP leader, in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate till March 3. Its detailed order was made available on Friday. Malik was arrested by the ED on Wednesday in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.

    The court, in its order, said it appears from the report that accused has not cooperated with the investigation on the crucial aspect. “Prima facie, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the accusations are well-founded under PMLA,”the judge observed.

    The court held that the probe was at a nascent stage and Malik’s custodial interrogation is necessary to unearth all the ramifications involved in the crime. “The proceeds of crime have traversed since last 20 years and more. Therefore, sufficient time is required to be granted for the investigation of the offence,” the judge said.

    The ED case is based on an FIR filed recently by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Ibrahim, a fugitive gangster, and others. The NIA had filed its criminal complaint under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

  • Money laundering case: NCP leader Eknath Khadse’s wife MandakiniĀ 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.

  • PNB case: PMLA court cancels non-bailable warrants against Nirav Modi’s brother-in-law

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A PMLA court in Mumbai on Tuesday cancelled all outstanding non-bailable warrants against fugitive businessman Nirav Modi’s brother-in law Maiank Mehta, who has turned approver in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case.

    Earlier this year, Nirav Modi’s sister Purvi Modi, a Belgian national, and her husband Maiank Mehta, a British citizen, turned approver in the case, assisting in confiscation of two flats in New York, one each in London and Mumbai, balances in two Swiss bank accounts and a bank account in Mumbai, all totaling Rs 579 crore.

    Mehta, on Tuesday, appeared before Special Judge V C Barde and sought the cancellation of warrants issued against him, which was allowed by court.

    “All the outstanding non-bailable warrants against the applicant/approver Maiank Mehta shall stand cancelled in view of his appearance in the court today,” the court said.

    It directed Mehta to appear as and when required and said he shall be properly represented in the court by appearing in person or through advocate and shall leave India only after intimating the prosecution.

    Mehta was arraigned as an accused in the case in which the ED has filed multiple charge sheets.

    Nirav Modi, presently lodged in a jail in the United Kingdom, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others have been charged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) money laundering case.