Tag: Enforcement Directorate

Mallikarjun Kharge To Campaign in Gujarat

BJP Scared Of Rahul’s Popularity Due To Bharat Jodo Yatra: Kharge

By LokMarg

Congress Presidential candidate and MP Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “scared” of Rahul Gandhi’s “rising popularity” due to Bharat Jodo Yatra.

“Many people are associating themselves with Rahul Gandhi. BJP is scared after seeing Bharat Jodo Yatra. As Rahul Gandhi’s popularity is increasing, these people’s (popularity) is reducing,” Kharge said.
Earlier today, Kharge had said that he is fighting the Congress Presidential polls because the condition in the country is very “bad” and he wants to “fight” them.

“I want to fight because the condition in the country is bad. Modi and Shah are doing politics where there is no place for Democracy. Agencies like CBI and ED are weakening. To fight them I need to have power. That is why, on the recommendation of delegations, I am fighting the polls,” Kharge said.

Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress President.

Digvijaya Singh pulled out from the race earlier and extended his support to Kharge, who he said is a senior and respected leader of the party, and against whom he “cannot think of contesting”.

Singh was the second Congress leader to pull out of the race after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced he would not contest the elections following the political turmoil in his state.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8. Voting will take place on October 17 and the election results will be declared on October 19.

The MP from Wayanad is currently leading Bharat Jodo Yatra- the 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, covering as many as 12 states. The Yatra started from Kanyakumari and will end in Kashmir the next year by covering 25 km every day.

According to Congress, the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization.

Notably, all the party MPs, leaders, and workers along with Rahul Gandhi are staying in containers. Sleeping beds, toilets, and ACs are also installed in some of the containers.

The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places.

The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles. (ANI)

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ED Raids Nearly 3 Dozen Locations In Delhi, Punjab

By LokMarg

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at nearly three dozen locations in Delhi and Punjab in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 case.

The raids were conducted days after the Central agency arrested Sameer Mahendru, Managing Director of Delhi’s Jor Bagh-based liquor distributor Indospirit Group, in the case.
Among the accused in the case is Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the 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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I Am A Tax-Paying Resident Since 2009: Jacqueline To Court

By LokMarg

Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez on Monday stated that she has deep roots in India and has been a tax-paying resident since 2009 while adding that India is her place of work, and her professional reputation and future work commitments are all intrinsically linked to the country.

She also stated that she doesn’t have any unity of design with the conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.
“In fact, the applicant/Jacqueline is another victim of the criminal acts committed by the main accused and his associates, who consistently lied about his real identity and exercised undue influence over the applicant’s personal and professional life either by showering her (and her family) with expensive gifts or claiming that he had done so I would do so, without ever mentioning their source,” she said in her bail plea.

In her regular bail plea, Jacqueline also said, she has never denied receipt of gifts, or that the main accused made claims to that effect. However, at no point of time did the applicant demand any gifts nor had knowledge that these were proceeds of crime, on account of the deceitful and duplicitous conduct of the main accused due to which she has suffered, and continues to suffer, tremendous hardship. Thus, she was misled into accepting the same.

The plea also states that she is also participating in attachment proceedings taking place in connection with the present case. There is no risk of her leaving Indian jurisdiction without proper authorisation as there is a Look Out Circular opened against her and subsisting.

The actress on Monday appeared before a Delhi Court hearing the Rs 200 crore money laundering Enforcement Directorate (ED) case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar and others.

Additional Sessions Judge Shailender Malik on Monday while issuing notice to the Enforcement Directorate on Jacqueline’s regular bail petition, granted interim bail to her on a Rs 50,000 bail bond till the next date of hearing. The next date of hearing is October 22, 2022.

Earlier, the court issued a summon to the actor to appear before it physically on September 26, 2022.

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

The predecessor judge, Justice Praveen Singh on the last date, after taking cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet, directed the newly made accused Jacqueline Fernandez to appear before it on September 26, 2022.

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

Advocate Prashant Patil appeared for Jacquline 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.

The ED’s earlier chargesheet did not mention her name as an accused, but mentioned the details of the statement recorded by Bollywood actors Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi in the matter.

According to ED’s earlier chargesheet, Bollywood actresses Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi got top models of BMW cars, and expensive gifts from the accused Sukesh.

The ED chargesheet 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-coloured 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 Sukash Chandrasekhar had arranged private jet trips and her hotel stay on different occasions for herself,” it added.

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 the speaker where he thanked her and said that 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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No Let-Up In Rupee Depreciation; Touches Another Lifetime Low

By LokMarg

Continuing with the depreciation, Rupee slipped further from the past week’s low and hit another lifetime low on Monday morning. This consistent depreciation follows the ongoing strengthening of the US dollar index for a two-decade, on hopes that demand for safe-haven currency such as the dollar would pick up.

This morning, it crossed 81.50 against the US dollar. On Friday, it closed at 81.25. Notably, last Thursday’s depreciation was the biggest single-day fall for the rupee since February 24.
The latest monetary policy tightening by the US Federal Reserve also lent support to the dollar, thereby weakening other major currencies globally, including India’s rupee.

“The panic is created by the dollar index which witnesses strong buying as a strong hedge against interest rate hikes and inflation cycle. The rupee downtrend will continue as long as positive triggers are not witnessed from the inflation forefront. The next trigger for the rupee next week is the RBI policy which shall provide some respite to the rupee fall. Rupee range can be seen between 80.50-81.55 before RBI policy,” said Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst at LKP Securities.

For the record, the US Federal Reserve had raised the repo rate by 75 basis points — which is the third consecutive hike of the same magnitude, in line with expectations, which essentially means that investors will move towards the US markets for better and stable returns amid the monetary policy tightening. The Fed also hinted that more rate hikes were coming and that these rates would stay elevated until 2024.

The US central bank seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 per cent over the long run and it anticipates that the ongoing hikes in the target range will be appropriate. Raising interest rates is a monetary policy instrument that typically helps suppress demand in the economy, thereby helping the inflation rate decline.

Consumer inflation in the US though declined marginally in August to 8.3 per cent from 8.5 per cent in July but is way above the 2 per cent goal.

Meanwhile, India’s forex reserves are at a two-year low. The reserves have dropped by almost USD 80 billion since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine tensions into war earlier this year

India’s forex reserves have been consistently depleting for the past few months because of RBI’s likely intervention in the market to defend the depreciating rupee and for the country’s trade settlement. This depletion is yet another possible reason the rupee has been weakening.

Typically, the RBI intervenes in the market through liquidity management, including through the selling of dollars, with a view to preventing a steep depreciation in the rupee. A depreciation in the rupee typically makes imported items costlier.

For fresh cues, investors await RBI’s upcoming monetary policy outcome. As per schedule, the next three-day monetary policy meeting will be held during September 28-30. (ANI)

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Jacqueline Interim Bail

Jacqueline Gets Interim Bail In ED Case

By LokMarg

Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on Monday arrived at the Patiala House Court which had summoned her in connection with the Enforcement Directorate case related to Rs 200 Crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar and others.

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez’s lawyers have moved a bail plea in the money laundering case.
Additional Sessions Judge Shailender Malik sought a response from the ED on the bail plea, till then her regular bail is pending before the court.

At the request of Jacqueline’s lawyer, the court granted interim bail to Jacqueline on a bail bond of Rs 50,000.

The next date of hearing is October 22 this year.

Earlier on Wednesday, the court issued a summons to the actor to appear before it physically on September 26 this year

On August 17, this year, a supplementary chargesheet 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 Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh on Wednesday after taking cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet, directed the newly made accused Jacqueline Fernandez to appear before it on September 26, 2022.

The court also directed ED to supply a copy of the chargesheet to all the accused in the present case.

Meanwhile, a lawyer appeared for Delhi Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) which is also probing the same case informed the court that Jacqueline Fernandez was recently asked to appear for it on August 29, 2022, but she didn’t appear so we have issued a fresh summons to her to join the investigation. To that lawyer appeared for Jacqueline assuring that she will join the investigation and co-operate with the probe agency.

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

Advocate Prashant Patil appeared for Jacquline 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.

ED’s earlier chargesheet did not mention her name as an accused but mentioned the detail of the statement recorded by Bollywood actors Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi in the matter.

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

ED chargesheet 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-coloured 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 Sukash Chandrasekhar had arranged private jet trips and her hotel stay on different occasions for herself.

Statements of Nora Fatehi were recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002 on September 12, 2021, abd 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 the speaker where he thanked her and said that they were her fans. She then announced that they would gift her a brand new BMW car as a token of love and generosity.

According to ED, during the investigation, searches were conducted at various places linked to Sukesh Chandrashekar and his associates. During the search, 16 high-end vehicles were seized under section 17 PMLA and these cars are either in the name of the firms of Leena Paulose or in the name of third parties. It is further submitted that it has emerged that Sukesh knowingly created the structure for layering and transferring proceeds of crime and thus, actively participated in the process of money laundering. (ANI)

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PFI and RSS Same

PFI And RSS Two Sides Of Same Coin, Says Digvijaya Singh

By LokMarg

Stoking a controversy, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday compared Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the Popular Front of India (PFI) and said “whoever spreads hatred” they are “Ek thali ke chatte batte” (of the same ilk).

He demanded action against RSS and VHP following government action against PFI.

Answering queries from reporters over action against the Popular Front of India in Madhya Pradesh, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said action should be taken against “whoever spreads violence, hatred, religious frenzy”.

“If action is being taken against them, why action is not being taken against the Sangh, why not against VHP, there should be action against them,” Singh said.

Asked if RSS can be compared to PFI, Singh said “definitely”. “Whoever spreads hate, religious frenzy, they are of the same ilk. ‘Ek hi thaali ke chatte-batte hain’. They complement each other,” he said.

The joint teams of the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and police conducted multiple raids across 15 states of the country against PFI on September 22 and arrested over 106 members.

The largest-ever crackdown that was conducted against the Popular Front of India (PFI) members spread across 15 states was code-named “Operation Octopus”, sources said on Saturday.

The searches were conducted in connection with cases registered by the NIA following “continued inputs and evidence” that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisations.

A large number of criminal cases have been registered in different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent acts. (ANI)

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Pak Zindabad Slogans

Pak Zindabad Slogans During PFI Protest, Fadnavis Promises Action

By LokMarg

‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were heard outside the District Collector’s office in Maharashtra’s Pune City on Friday where Popular Front of India (PFI) cadres had gathered against the massive crackdown by multi-agencies led by National Investigation Agency on Thursday across 15 states.

Due to high ambience noise in the original video feed some parts of slogans were faint. Information about slogans was further corroborated by reporters at the spot.
Some PFI members were detained by Pune police and they were arrested this morning. Police have registered a case.

Joint teams of the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and police had conducted multiple raids across 15 states of the country against PFI on September 22 and arrested over 106 members.

Reacting to the sloganeering incident, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister said stringent action will be taken. “We will take stringent action against any person raising Pakistan Zindabad slogans in Maharashtra”.

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane took to Twitter and warned those raising such slogans. He also sought a ban on PFI.

The largest-ever crackdown that was conducted against the Popular Front of India (PFI) members spread across 15 states was code-named “Operation Octopus”, sources said on Saturday.

The searches were conducted in connection with five cases registered by the NIA following “continued inputs and evidence” that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisations.

A large number of criminal cases have been registered in different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent acts.

Criminal violent acts “carried out” by PFI include chopping off the hand of a college professor, cold-blooded killings of persons associated with organisations espousing other faiths, collection of explosives to target prominent people and places, support to Islamic State and destruction of public property. They have had a demonstrative effect of striking terror in the minds of the citizens.

The PFI had on Friday called for a 12-hour shutdown in Kerala, which turned violent in parts of the state. Stone-pelting was witnessed at various places, including at the RSS office at Mattannur in Kannur. Two police officials were also injured in the incident in Kollam.

The Kerala High Court initiated a suo motu case against PFI leaders who called for a strike in the state against the arrest of its members by the NIA.

As per a Kerala HC order on January 7, 2019, nobody can call for a bandh in the state without prior notice of seven days.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the court directed the police to ensure that “adequate measures are put in place to prevent any damage/destruction to public/private property of Government/citizens who do not support the call for hartal”.

“Adequate police protection shall also be granted to all public utility services that apprehend violence, at the hands of those supporting the illegal hartal,” the court added. (ANI)

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Popular Front Leaders

NIA, ED Arrest 100 Popular Front Leaders From 10 States

By LokMarg

In a first-ever largest action, a joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and state police forces have arrested over 100 Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders during raids across 10 states, said sources on Thursday.

The searches are being conducted at multiple locations in the largest ever investigation process till date.
These searches are being conducted at the residential and official premises of persons involved in “funding terrorism, organizing training camps, and radicalizing people to join proscribed organizations”.

“In a major action across 10 states, NIA, ED, and state police have arrested more than 100 cadres of PFI,” sources told ANI.

The raids were conducted in Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and many more states, said sources.

NIA earlier this month also raided 40 places in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh in a PFI case and detained four persons.

The agency had then conducted searches at 38 locations in Telangana (23 in Nizamabad, four in Hyderabad, seven in Jagityal, two in Nirmal, one each in Adilabad and Karimnagar districts) and at two locations in Andhra Pradesh (one each in Kurnool and Nellore districts) in the case relating to Abdul Khader of Nizamabad district in Telangana and 26 other persons.

In the operation, NIA had seized incriminating materials, including digital devices, documents, two daggers and Rs 8,31,500 cash.

As per NIA, the accused were “organizing camps for imparting training to commit terrorist acts and to promote enmity between different groups on the basis of religion”.

The PFI was launched in Kerala in 2006 after merging three Muslim organizations floated after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 – the National Development Front of Kerala, Karnataka Forum for Dignity, and Manitha Neethi Pasari of Tamil Nadu. After the demolition of the Babri mosque, many fringe outfits had surfaced in south India and PFI was formed after merging some of them.

Now the PFI claims it has units in 22 states. Its growth is phenomenal, admitted intelligence agencies, saying it successfully exploited a growing vacuum in the community by donning the role of a savior. The successful portrayal of the image helps PFI to mobilize funds, especially from the rich middle-eastern countries. The PFI had its headquarters in Kozhikode earlier, but after broadening of its base, it was shifted to Delhi. PFI’s state president Nasaruddin Elamarom is one of the founding leaders of the outfit. Its all-India president E Abubaker also hails from Kerala.

The PFI describes itself as a neo-social movement committed to empowering people belonging to minority communities, Dalits, and other weaker sections of society. (ANI)

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Partha Bengal SSC Scam

ED Files Complaint Against 8 Including Partha, Arpita

By LokMarg

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint against eight accused including Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee in the Teachers Recruitment Scam in West Bengal before the PMLA Special Court, Calcutta.

According to ED officials, six entities were used for money laundering. Partha and Arpita used M/s Echhay Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Ananta Texfab Pvt Ltd, Symbiosis Merchants Pvt Ltd, Sentry Engineering Pvt Ltd, Viewmore Highrise Pvt Ltd and APA Utility Services to launder the money.
Special Court took cognizance of the Prosecution Complaint on Monday after finding that a prime-facie case has been made against the 8 accused persons.

ED had earlier arrested Partha Chatterjee, the then Minister, Government of West Bengal and his close associate Arpita Mukherjee on July 23. The accused are presently in Judicial Custody and will be produced again before the Special Court on September 28.

ED has already seized cash amounting to a total of Rs. 49.80 Crore gold and jewellery valued at more than Rs. 5.08 Crore and provisionally attached properties worth Rs. 48.22 Crore thus the total seizure in the case stands at Rs. 103.10 Crore. (ANI)

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Jacqueline

Jacqueline Submits List of Gifts From Conman Sukesh

By LokMarg

Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on Monday revealed that she received expensive bags, jewellery and other gift items that she jotted down on a list which she submitted to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police.

According to the information, actor Jacqueline Fernandez was questioned by the EOW of the Delhi Police for several hours in connection with Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

Interrogation with Fernandez majorly involved questions related to gifts accepted by Jacqueline. Police also questioned the actor regarding the chartered flight ride booked by conman Sukesh for her.

As per the sources, Jacqueline accepted that she has earlier counted on him for chartered flight rides not once but multiple times.

Further, Jacqueline has been asked to be present whenever the investigation teams need her for questioning, however, there is no immediate summon for her.

Jacqueline

Meanwhile, fashion designer, Lepakshi has been summoned on September 21, 2022.

Earlier on September 14, Jacqueline Fernandez appeared before the EOW of Delhi Police in connection with the Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

On September 15, Nora Fatehi and Pinky Irani were questioned by the EOW for more than four hours in connection with the Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

Apparently, Pinky Irani introduced Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi to conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. (ANI)

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