Tag: Enforcement Directorate

Soren Dares ED

Come And Arrest Me: Soren Dares ED

By LokMarg

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday challenged the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to arrest him instead of sending a summons to him for questioning.

Soren on Thursday was to appear before the ED in its regional office in Ranchi but he skipped his visit. Addressing the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers outside his official residence before leaving for Raipur to attend a tribal festival being organized by the Chhattisgarh government, Soren urged his party workers to be prepared for a long political fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“I have been summoned by ED today when I already have a program in Chhattisgarh today. If I have committed a crime that big, come and arrest me. Why the questioning?… Security near the ED office has increased. Why, are you scared of people of Jharkhand?” said Soren, amidst heavy sloganeering in support from his party workers.

Soren said the federal agency, as a part of a larger conspiracy to destabilize his government which got a historic mandate in 2019, is trying to intimidate them by showing muscle power.

“We have identified a few external gangs in the state who are not letting the state’s Adivasis stand on their feet. This state will have the rule of Jharkhand is and not external forces… BJP will be wiped out in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls,” Soren added.

Urging his workers to be ready for a political fight, Soren said they need to go back to villages and expose the “conspiracy of the BJP” to destabilize their government.

“We have not done anything yet. ‘Jab Jharkhandi apni cheezo pe utar aayega, toh wo din door nahi jahaan aap logon ko yahaan sar chhupaane ka mauka bhi nahi milega,” he said.

Soren also gave a call to the Adivasis of Gujarat to ensure that the BJP loses all tribal seats in the upcoming assembly elections.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was summoned by ED on Thursday for investigation over contravention of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and in a money laundering probe linked to an illegal mining case in the Sahebganj district. (ANI)

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Jharkhand: Hemant Soren Resigns, Loyalist Champai Soren To Take Over

Soren Summoned In Illegal Mining Case On November 3

By LokMarg

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, asking him to appear for questioning on November 3 in its ongoing probe into an illegal mining case, sources said on Wednesday.

Soren has been asked by the agency to appear before its Jharkhand’s Ranchi-based regional office by 11.30 am.
The ED’s move came almost a month after it seized a passbook and a cheque-book, including two signed cheques, of Soren from the home of his alleged close associate Pankaj Mishra, who enjoyed political clout being the representative of Soren and exercised considerable control over illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahebganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices. Mishra is in judicial custody now for exercising control over the mining of stone chips and boulders as well as the installation and operations of several crushers set up across various mining sites in Jharkhand’s Sahebganj district.

The ED made the revelations after it filed a Prosecution Complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 before the special court at Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi against Pankaj Mishra, Bachhu Yadav, and Prem Prakash.

During the investigation, 47 searches were conducted by the ED throughout India on several dates resulting in the seizure of Cash amounting to Rs 5.34 crore, freezing of bank balances amounting to Rs 13.32 crore, freezing of an inland vessel MV Infralink -III, reg. No- WB 1809, 5 number of stone crushers, two Hyva trucks besides the seizure of incriminating documents along with two numbers of AK 47 Assault Rifles.

ED had arrested Pankaj Mishra on July 19, Bachhu Yadav on August 4, and Prem Prakash on August 25. All the accused persons arrested so far are presently in judicial custody.

ED initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of the First Information Report registered by Barharwa Police Station, Sahebganj under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, against Pankaj Mishra and others.

Later on, several FIRs regarding illegal mining lodged under IPC, Explosive Substances Act, and Arms Act have also been taken into the ambit of scheduled offenses.

To date, the ED has identified Proceeds of Crime relating to illegal mining to the tune of more than Rs 1,000 crore in this case.

“PMLA Investigation revealed that Pankaj Mishra, who enjoys political clout, being the representative of the Chief Minister, MLA from Barhait, Sahebganj, Jharkhand controls the illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahebganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices,” the ED had said earlier in a statement.

Proceeds of Crime amounting to Rs 42 crore approximately acquired by Pankaj Mishra have been identified till date, the ED has said. (ANI)

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AAP leader Satyendar Jain

Early Hearing On Bail Plea Of Jain In Money Laundering Case

By LokMarg

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court at Rouse Avenue Court complex on Thursday allowed the plea for an early hearing on the bail application of Delhi Minister Satyender Jain in a money laundering case.

The matter has been listed for tomorrow. He was arrested in May this year.
Special CBI judge Vikas Dhull allowed the plea for an early hearing on the bail application of Satyender Jain.

The Delhi High court on October 1, dismissed the plea of Jain challenging the trial court order transferring his money laundering case to another judge. The question is not of integrity or uprightness of the Judge but of apprehension in the mind of a party (ED), the High Court noted.

Thereafter, Jain moved to the Supreme Court. Later the plea was withdrawn.

Satyender Jain had challenged the order of September 23, 2022, passed by the Principal District and Sessions Judge transferring his money laundering case from one court to another court.

His bail plea hearing was transferred to the court of Vikas Dhull from another court after hearing the application moved by the Enforcement Directorate.

Justice Yogesh Khanna noted in the order that the question is not of integrity or uprightness of the Judge but of apprehension in the mind of a party (ED).

Justice Khanna while passing the order observed that the facts show that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) did not merely harbor an apprehension of bias but had acted upon it as well by rushing to the HC and therefore the apprehension cannot be said to be flimsy or not reasonable.

The court has further observed, “the apprehensions raised were not at a belated stage, as the request for an independent medical evaluation were consistently made.”

The court held that the district judge while transferring the case has considered all these aspects and therefore does not suffer from any illegality and does not require any interference.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had contended that the doctors and jail authorities were managed as the accused earlier had the Health and Jail Department portfolio as Delhi cabinet Minister.

The ED had initiated the money-laundering investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 24, 2017.

The FIR was registered under Section 13(2) and 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Satyendar Jain, Poonam Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain, Ankush Jain. (ANI)

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Jacqueline's Bail In PMLA Case

ED Opposes Jacqueline’s Bail In PMLA Case

By LokMarg

Bollywood Actress Jacqueline Fernandez is economically sound and may interfere with the ongoing investigation in the matter, the Enforcement Directorate submitted in a reply opposing the bail plea filed by her. She is an accused in a money laundering case related to Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

Additional Sessions Judge Shailender Malik of Patiala House Court listed the matter for further hearing on November 10.
ED filed a reply on Saturday stating that Jacqueline Fernandez never cooperated with the investigation. She only made the disclosure when confronted with the evidence.

The agency has also submitted that Jacqueline Fernandez made an abortive bid to flee India but couldn’t do that as a LOC has already been issued against her.

The reply stated that Jacqueline was informed about Sukesh’s criminal antecedents within 10 days of her introduction to him.

The agency said that Jacqueline is not an ordinary person but a Bollywood actress with substantial financial resources and hence high stature and influence, therefore she may interfere with the ongoing probe into the matter.

During the hearing, the court extended the interim bail of Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez in connection with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case related to Rs 200 Crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar and others.

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez also attended the Court Proceedings physically on Saturday. On September 26, Jacqueline was granted interim bail in the matter.

The Additional Sessions Judge on the last date had issued notice to ED on Jacqueline’s regular bail petition, granting interim bail to her on Rs 50,000 bail bond.

On August 17, 2022, a supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate in the Rs 200 crore extortion case against conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar in a Delhi Court mentioned the name of Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused.

The Court also directed ED to supply a copy of the charge sheet to all the accused in the present case.

Jacqueline Fernandez has also been summoned by ED several times in the matter for the purpose of investigation.

Advocate Prashant Patil appeared for Jacqueline and stated that she has always cooperated with the investigation agencies and attended all the summons to date. “She has handed over all the information to the best of her ability to the ED.”

According to ED’s earlier Chargesheet, Bollywood actors Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi stated that they got top models of BMW cars, the most expensive gifts from the accused Sukesh.

ED charge sheet clearly stated that “During the investigation, statements of Jacqueline Fernandez were recorded on 30.08.2021 and 20.10.2021 Jacqueline Fernandez stated she received gifts viz three designer bags from Gucci, Chanel, and two Gucci outfits for gym wear. A pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings and a bracelet of multi-colored stones, two Hermes bracelets. She also received a Mini Cooper which she returned.”

According to ED, Sukesh was confronted with Jacqueline on October 20, 2021. Jacqueline Fernandez stated that Sukesh Chandrasekhar had arranged private jet trips and hotel stays on different occasions for herself.

The statements of Nora Fatehi were recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002 on September 12, 2021, and October 14, 2021, wherein she stated that she got a booking for a charity event and during the event, she was gifted a Gucci Bag and one iPhone by Leena Paulose (wife of Chandrashekhar).

Nora further stated that Leena Paulose had called her husband and put the phone on speaker where he thanked her and said they were her fans. She then announced that they would gift her a brand-new BMW car as a token of love and generosity. (ANI)

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Jacqueline Appears At Delhi Court For Bail Hearing

By LokMarg

Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez, on Saturday appeared at Patiala House court in Delhi along with her lawyer Prashant Patil for the hearing of her bail plea in connection with a Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar and others.

Last month Jacqueline was granted interim bail in the extortion case surrounding alleged conman Sukesh. The interim bail was granted following the court’s order for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file a reply to the star’s bail application.
On August 17, 2022, a supplementary charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate in the Rs 200 crore extortion case against conman Sukesh Chandrashekar in a Delhi Court mentioned the name of Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez as an accused.

The Court also directed ED to supply a copy of the charge sheet to all the accused in the present case. Jacqueline has also been summoned by ED several times in the matter for the purpose of investigation.

According to ED’s earlier Chargesheet, Jacqueline and Nora Fatehi examined and stated that they got top models of BMW cars, the most expensive gifts from the accused Sukesh.

ED charge sheet clearly stated that “during the investigation, statements of Jacqueline Fernandez were recorded on August 30, 2021, and October 10, 2021. Jacqueline stated she received gifts viz three designer bags from Gucci, Chanel, and two Gucci outfits for gym wear.

A pair of Louis Vuitton shoes, two pairs of diamond earrings and a bracelet of multi-colored stones, two Hermes bracelets. She also received a Mini Cooper which she returned.”

Jacqueline’s friendship with Sukesh reportedly started on WhatsApp in January 2021, and she had secretly met the conman on a number of occasions. Now it’s to be seen whether her bail in the case will be finalized. (ANI)

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Assets Worth Rs 80.65 Cr Of TRS Lawmaker Nama Nageshwar Rao

By LokMarg

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached 28 immovable properties and other assets worth Rs 80.65 crore belonging to TRS MP Nama Nageshwar Rao and his family members in an ongoing money laundering case against Ranchi Expressway Ltd, Madhucon Projects Limited and its director and promoters, the agency said on Monday.

The ED has also attached the registered office of the Madhucon group of companies and residential property at Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. The properties were attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2022.
Nama Nageshwar Rao is a promoter and director of the Madhucon group of companies and a personal guarantor to the Bank loan defaulted by the company.

ED has identified and attached immovable assets of Rs 67.08 crore at Hyderabad, Khammam, and Prakasham district and movable assets of Rs 13.57 crore including shareholding of Nama Nageshwar Rao and his family members in Madhucon Projects Ltd, Madhucon Granites Limited and in other Madhucon group of companies, totaling to Rs 80.65 crore.

Earlier in July this year, ED had also provisionally attached 105 immovable properties and other assets worth Rs 73.74 crore belonging to Madhucon Group of companies and its directors and promoters, which included the properties of Madhucon Projects Limited and group companies, Nama Nageshwar Rao and other promoter and director of the company after conducting multiple searches and recording multiple statements of promoters, subcontractors, bankers, engineers, and forensic auditors.

In a statement, the ED said, its investigation has revealed that the Madhucon Group promoters “siphoned off the loan funds of this project by taking the entire EPC Contract from its SPV, and then taking huge mobilization and material advances, but instead of using those advances for the work, used it in their other projects”.

Also, the ED said, direct cash of amount Rs 75.50 crore was generated by paying money and then receiving back the amount through six Shell Entities– Usha Projects, Shree BR Visions, Sri Dharma Sastha Constructions, Sree Nagendra Constructions, Ragini Infrastructure, and, Varalakshmi Constructions– which were completely under the control of their Chairman Nama Nageshwara Rao and his sibling Nama Seethaiah.

“These sub-contractors did no work, had no sufficient expertise, were based in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana, whereas the project was in North India, and they took large advances from MPL from the loan funds and then paid back huge amounts to Madhucon Group on the pretext of using the equipment and labor of Madhucon Group,” said the ED.

“So the funds came back to the Madhucon Group.”

The ED further said it has identified a direct diversion of Rs 361.29 crore from the bank loan obtained by Ranchi Expressways Limited. (ANI)

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CBI Summons Sisodia

CBI Summons Sisodia, AAP Claims He Will Be Arrested

By LokMarg

In the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoning Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for questioning in the alleged excise policy corruption case, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj on Sunday claimed that Sisodia “will be arrested tomorrow”.

He also tried to draw parallels between the CBI summoning Sisodia with the upcoming Gujarat elections.
According to Bhardwaj, the Bharatiya Janata Party is scared of AAP in Gujarat as it is competing with them.

“CBI has summoned Manish Sisodia and will arrest him tomorrow. It has been alleged that a huge scam of Rs 10,000 crore has taken place and for that CBI and ED (Enforcement Directorate) have raided at atleast 500 places so far. CBI raided Sisodia’s residence for 14 hours, but they could not find anything,” said AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj.

“This is directly linked with Gujarat elections as AAP competes with the BJP there and hence is scared. Manish Sisodia will be arrested to stop his programmes but the AAP will only grow stronger,” he added.

Bhardwaj further mentioned that he is confident about Sisodia’s arrest because the same drill has it happened earlier when AAP leaders were called for questioning and then arrested.

While exuding confidence in AAP’s victory in Gujarat, the AAP senior leader said that the party will emerge “stronger” with the “increasing” numbers of arrests.

“We would have remained silent if we were afraid. The rise in the number of arrests will raise our graph in Gujarat, the increase in BJP’s oppression will make our graph rise,” he said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was summoned by CBI today and he shall go to the central agency’s headquarters on Monday, he confirmed with his tweet.

“I will go and fully cooperate with the CBI as it has called me to the headquarters at 11 am tomorrow after raiding my house for 14 hours and searching bank account and even my village where they could not find anything,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

In August, the enforcement agencies conducted searches on Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s official residence among several other places in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of Delhi’s excise policy.

Sisodia, who is in charge of the excise department, has been under the scanner for alleged deliberate and gross procedural lapses which provided undue benefits to the tender process for liquor licensees for the year 2021-22.

Sisodia is believed to have executed decisions in violation of the statutory provisions of the Excise Policy, which could have huge financial implications. Such “undue financial favours” to the liquor licensees after the deadline for awarding tenders caused huge losses to the exchequer, sources earlier claimed.

The excise policy was passed in chief minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet in the middle of the deadly Delta Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.

Sisodia was among 15 others booked in an FIR filed by the CBI in August including then Excise Commissioner Arva Gopi Krishna, Deputy Commissioner Anand Tiwari and Assistant Commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar.

Other accused are Manoj Rai, a former employee of Pernod Ricard; Amandeep Dhal, director of Brindco Sales; director of Buddy Retail Amit Arora, and Dinesh Arora; authorised signatories of Mahadev Liquors Sunny Marwah, Arun Ramchandra Pillai and Arjun Pandey.

The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority’s approval. The beneficiaries diverted “illegal” gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection.

As alleged, the Excise Department had decided to refund the Earnest Money Deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules. Even though there was no enabling provision, a waiver on tendered licence fees was allowed from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to COVID-19.

This allegedly caused a loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer, said the FIR, which has been instituted on a reference from the Union Home Ministry following a recommendation from Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. (ANI)

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Anil Deshmukh In Corruption Case

CBI Opposes Bail Plea Of Anil Deshmukh in Extortion Case

By LokMarg

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday opposed the bail application filed by former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Anil Deshmukh in connection with the Rs 100 crore extortion matter.

Deshmukh had filed a petition for bail in the CBI court, on which the CBI has filed its reply today, to which the lawyer of Anil Deshmukh will now argue on October 18, the next hearing of the case.

Meanwhile, the NCP leader was taken to Jaslok Hospital from Arthur Road Jail today.

He was admitted to Jaslok Hospital today after the special PMLA court had allowed Anil Deshmukh to undergo angiography in a private hospital.

Deshmukh had been accused of asking policemen to collect Rs 100 crores illegally for him every month from bar owners in Mumbai.

Earlier on October 11, the Supreme Court refused to cancel the bail granted to the former home minister in the money laundering case lodged against him by Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud refused to interfere with the Bombay High Court order which granted bail to Deshmukh.

Enforcement Directorate has approached the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court’s order granting bail to Deshmukh, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering case.

On October 4, the Bombay High Court granted bail to Deshmukh in a money laundering case being investigated by the ED.

Deshmukh continues to be in judicial custody in Arthur Road prison as he is also being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case.

Deshmukh was arrested by the ED in November 2021 and is currently in judicial custody.

According to the ED, Deshmukh had misused his position as state home minister and collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars in Mumbai through some police officers. (ANI)

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SC Anil Deshmukh's Bail

SC Refuses To Cancel Anil Deshmukh’s Bail

By LokMarg

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to cancel the bail granted to former Maharashtra’s former home minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Anil Deshmukh in the money laundering case lodged against him by Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud refused to interfere with the Bombay High Court order which granted bail to Deshmukh.
The bench clarified that the observations made by the High Court will not influence the trial and are only confined to the issue of bail.

Enforcement Directorate has approached the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court’s order granting bail to Deshmukh, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering case.

On October 4, the Bombay High Court had granted bail to Deshmukh in a money laundering case being investigated by the ED.

The High Court had ordered that the bail order would be effective from October 13, in order to enable the ED to file an appeal before the Supreme Court.

Deshmukh will continue to be lodged in judicial custody in Arthur Road prison as he is also being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a corruption case.

Earlier, on Deshmukh’s plea, the top court had directed the High Court to hear and decide expeditiously his bail plea.

The top court had expressed displeasure that the Bombay High Court has kept the bail application of Deshmukh pending for so many months and asked it to hear the plea of Deshmukh within this week and decide it expeditiously.

It had noted that Deshmukh’s bail plea is pending in the High Court since March 21 and it observed that keeping bail applications pending for eight months is not in consonance with the jurisprudence of bail.

Deshmukh had sought bail from the High Court in the money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate after the Special Court declined his plea.

Deshmukh was arrested by the ED in November 2021 and is currently in judicial custody.

According to the ED, Deshmukh had misused his position as state home minister and collected Rs 4.70 crore from various bars in Mumbai through some police officers. (ANI)

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Shinde on MLAs

Sanjay Raut’s Judicial Custody Extended Till Oct 17

By LokMarg

The judicial custody of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case has been extended till October 17 on Monday.

Sanjay Rauut’s custody was previously extended on October 4 for 14 days (till October 10, today) by a Special Court in Mumbai.
Raut was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 1 in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of the Patra Chawl in suburban Goregaon in Mumbai.

After being in the ED’s custody initially, the Shiv Sena leader was sent to judicial custody for 14 days on August 8. On August 22, a special PMLA court extended Raut’s custody till September 5 which was further extended till September 19 and then till October 3 and 10.

ED officials raided the Shiv Sena leader’s home on July 31, and after detaining and questioning him for several hours and arrested him on August 1.

On June 28 this year, Sanjay Raut was summoned by the ED in connection with the prevention of the money laundering case pertaining to the Rupees 1,034 crore Patra Chawl land scam.

Back in August, the wife of Shiv Sena MP was also summoned by the agency in connection with the Patra Chawl land case.

The MP’s wife Varsha Raut was summoned by the central agency after the ED officials raided the Shiv Sena leader’s home and after detaining and questioning him (Sanjay Raut) for several hours, arrested him.

Raut is a close aide of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

According to sources, ED officials seized Rs 11.50 lakhs of unaccounted cash from his residence during the raids. Soon after the ED officials detained him in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case, the Shiv Sena leader said that he “won’t be cowed down”.

Raut is being probed in connection with the re-development of Mumbai’s Patra Chawl.

In April this year, the ED had attached immovable properties worth Rs 11.15 crore, including a flat at Dadar, held by Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha, and eight land parcels at Kihim near Alibag, jointly held by the latter with Swapna Patkar. (ANI)

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