Money Laundering Case Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Lokmarg

Delhi Court Defers Satyender’s Bail Plea Till Tomorrow

By LokMarg 16th November 2022

The CBI Court at Rouse Avenue on Wednesday deferred for tomorrow the pronouncement of the order on bail petitions of Delhi Minister Satyender Jain, and two others in the Money Laundering case.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Satyender Jain on May 30.
Special CBI Judge Vikas Dhull on Wednesday said the order copy is not ready for all three accused. It will take some time. Will pass the order tomorrow at 2 pm.

The Court on November 11, had kept the order reserved after the conclusion of arguments from all sides.

During arguments, it was submitted on behalf of Jain that the investigation related to the applicant has been completed and a charge sheet has been filed. No case of money laundering is made out against the applicant.

Senior advocates N. Hariharan and Rahul Mehra submitted that it is alleged that a conspiracy for money laundering was hatched in 2010. At the time neither Jain was an MLA nor a Minister. So how could he hatch a conspiracy for money laundering?

It was also submitted that as per the charge sheet the other accused have admitted that the money allegedly laundered belongs to them. Jain has nothing to do with the companies in question.

On the other hand, the bail plea was opposed by the ASG for ED. The ASG S V Raju submitted that there are witnesses and materials sufficient to make out a case of money laundering against the accused.

ASG submitted that the accused was involved in money laundering with other accused. He sent money to Kolkata-based companies and that money belong to Jain. He is the conspirator and kingpin.

ED also raised the issue of special treatment given to Satyender Jain in the Tihar Jail. Special food is being provided to him and getting massages from unknown people. Most of the time he is either in the hospital or in jail enjoying these facilities, said the ED.

The enforcement agency has alleged that the companies which were “beneficially owned and controlled” by Jain had received accommodation entries amounting to Rs 4.81 crore from the shell companies against cash transferred to Kolkata-based entry operators through a hawala route.

The ED case is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint registered on the allegation that Satyender Jain had acquired movable properties in the name of various persons from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for. (ANI)

Ready To Be Hanged: Sukesh Chandrashekhar Writes Another Letter

By LokMarg 8th November 2022

Releasing another letter, Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, who is facing several cases of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Money Laundering Act alleged that he was ready to be hanged if any of the issues he has raised to Delhi LG turned out to be wrong.

In his press letter provided by his lawyer, Sukesh said, “(Delhi CM) Kejriwal Ji, if any of my raised issues to Delhi LG turn out to be wrong as you and your associates said, I am ready to be hanged. But if the complaint is proven true, you will resign and retire from politics for good.”
He also alleged that Aam Adami Party’s Satyendar Jain asked him to pay money to the party for the Goa and Punjab elections.

“I kept quiet and ignored everything but due to your constant threats and pressure through the Jail administration and Mr. Jain asking me to give funds during Punjab and Goa polls, brazenly even though I was undergoing investigation,” Sukesh wrote.

Rejecting the AAP’s allegations that he was lying, Sukesh Chandrasekar said if he was lying then why the jail administration was pressurizing him or being coerced to withdraw his earlier complaint?

“Kejriwal Ji why was Mr. Jain constantly asking me to withdraw the complaint filed in HC against former DG Sandeep Goel and the Jail administration? Why was I constantly threatened apart from asking me to give more funds for your election Campaigns? Why afraid of enquiry? What are you scared off if you are truthful?” he said in his letter.

Chandrashekar rejected the allegations of AAP leaders that he was trying to malign the image of the party and its leaders at the behest of the BJP ahead of the Delhi MCD elections.

“Kejriwalji doesn’t keep saying all this is being done because of elections, let me tell you something and give to a piece of advice. You know me very well. You and Mr. Jain are among the few people, who know me very well so, don’t hallucinate that won’t give evidence against all that I have said or won’t testify. I will give every single thing that I have, which you know very well, as your mask has to be removed in open. Please Kejriwalji don’t daydream about winning elections as people are seeing everything, your Drama won’t work anymore, your karma, your lies, you will be defeated badly for sure,” he further wrote.

Earlier on Monday, he wrote another letter to Delhi LG Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena requesting the CBI probe against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

In his latest letter to Delhi LG, Chandrashekhar wrote, “I request you to direct an urgent CBI investigation and allow me to file FIR as the pressure is getting too much and any undue event may take place before the truth about AAP is exposed,” he wrote.

Alleging that he is being threatened by AAP leader Satyendar Jain and ex-DG (Prisons) of Tihar jail after his complaint to the Delhi L-G went public, he said, “After my last application was released on media, from last two days there has been a severe threat that I have been receiving from the jail administration on behalf of Mr. Satyendar Jain and DG prison Sandeep Goel.” (ANI)

Soren Summoned In Illegal Mining Case On November 3

By LokMarg 2nd November 2022

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)

Early Hearing On Bail Plea Of Jain In Money Laundering Case

By LokMarg 27th October 2022

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)

SC Refuses To Cancel Anil Deshmukh’s Bail

By LokMarg 11th October 2022

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)

NSE Money Laundering Case, Ravi Narain Sent To JC

By LokMarg 9th September 2022

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday filed a chargesheet in Delhi Rouse Avenue Court in connection with National Stock Exchange (NSE) Money Laundering Case.

The Chargesheet on Friday has been filed in the court of Special Judge Sunena Sharma. The court fixed September 21, 2022, for the arguments on the point of cognizance. Advocate Naveen Kumar Matta represented ED in the case.
The chargesheet stated to have names of Chitra Ramkrishna, Ravi Narain (Both are former CEOs of NSE) and Sanjay Pandey, former Mumbai Police commissioner and a private firm.

Meanwhile, the same court also decided to send Ravi Narain, former CEO of NSE to Judicial Custody in the case. He was arrested recently and was sent to two days remand on the last date of hearing.

Ravi Narain was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in August 2022 in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged illegal phone-tapping of the exchange’s employees. Ravi Narain is the third person arrested by ED in the case.

Earlier, the ED had arrested Chitra Ramkrishna (also a former CEO of NSE) and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey on the case. Both are presently in Judicial Custody.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently registered a fresh FIR in the NSE Co-Location Case over the allegations of phone tapping.

Following the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case in the alleged National Stock Exchange (NSE) co-location scam that involved the phone tapping of NSE employees.

The ED’s FIR mentioned the names of former NSE Chief Chitra Ramakrishna, Ravi Narain and former Mumbai Commissioner Sanjay Pandey for allegedly tapping the phones of NSE officials and other irregularities.

Pandey is the 1986-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who retired on June 30. During the investigation, it was found that Pandey is closely related to the functioning and activities of a company called iSec Securities Pvt. Ltd.

The company had conducted a security audit of NSE around the time the alleged co-location irregularities have taken place.

The company was incorporated by Pandey in March 2001 and he quit as its director in May 2006. His son and mother took over the charge of the company. It has been alleged that illegal phone tapping of NSE employees was done between 2009-17. (ANI)

Vadra, Aide Get Bail In Laundering Case

By LokMarg Publishing 1st April 2019

A Special CBI court in New Delhi on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Robert Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora in the money laundering case, on the condition they cannot leave the country without permission.

Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar while granting anticipatory bail to the duo directed them to furnish a personal bail bond of Rs. 5 lakh each and surety of like amount.

Furthermore, the court imposed bail conditions on both of them, whereby the duo cannot leave the country without permission. They will have to join the investigation when called upon by the authorities, the court stated.

The court also ordered that the accused persons shall not tamper with evidence or influence witnesses.

In the previous hearing on Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had sought custodial interrogation of Vadra in connection with the money laundering case.

ED told a special CBI court that Vadra was harassing the investigative agency and countered his claims of “political witch hunt” and harassment during the hearing of the anticipatory bail pleas of Vadra and his associate.

“Harassment is being caused by Robert Vadra. We say let him come and join the investigation. It is held in camera and he comes for the sessions accompanied by many people including his wife and then he claims that he is ‘hounded and harassed’ to subserve political ends. Vadra is attempting to over-awe the system,” said Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) DP Singh on behalf of the ED.

The court was hearing the anticipatory bail pleas filed by Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and his aide Manoj Arora who are being probed by the ED in the money laundering case.

ED showed the money trail of the London property in question. “Property was bought by Sanjay Bhandari through his company Syntac. The property was then sold to Vertex for 1.9 million pounds through share purchase. Later, the renovation was carried out with 65 thousand pounds. It was later sold for the same amount despite renovations by CC Thampi through his company Skylight Dubai. The money later returned to Syntac, thus a round trip was established,” SPP Singh told the court.

The agency also showed a mail trail between the accused allegedly discussing the London property. “Vipul Beriwala, Sanjeev Sharma and Jagdish Sharma are main players in the scam and whatever they are talking about clearly shows that the discussion of the real estate deal. They were then in UK itself,” SPP Singh said in the court.

(ANI)

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