Enforcement Directorate

Kerala gold smuggling: Kingpin K.T. Ramees held, sent to judicial custody

Kingpin of Kerala gold smuggling case K.T.Ramees has been arrested and sent to a jail here by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), an official said here on Friday

ED attaches assets worth over Rs 118 cr in illegal forex trading case

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday said it has attached various kinds of movable and immovable assets like mutual funds, shares, bonds, flats and houses worth more than Rs 118 crore as part of a money laundering probe into illegal forex trading by a company and its promoters. A provisional order for attachment of these properties, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), belonging to Prasenjit Das, Shailesh Pandey, Tushar Patel and a company called TP Global FX has been undertaken, the federal probe agency said in a statement. The money laundering case stems from an FIR registered by the Kolkata Police. The attached assets, worth a total of Rs 118.27 crore, is in the form of shares, mutual funds, bonds, AIF/PMS (alternative investment funds and portfolio management services), cash in bank accounts, a luxury vehicle (MG Hector), flats, commercial business places, hotels and resorts, it said. The probe found that Das, Pandey, Patel and some others used various "dummy

ED files second supplementary charge sheet in Delhi Excise scam case

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday filed a supplementary charge sheet before a court here in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Special Judge Vikas Dhull put up the charge sheet before the judge concerned for consideration on April 14. This is ED's second supplementary Prosecution Complaint, the agency's equivalent of a charge sheet. The complaint has been filed against Raghav Magunta, Rajesh Joshi, Gautam Malhotra and firms related to them.

ED opposes Sisodia's bail, says some crucial evidence still being unearthed

The ED on Wednesday opposed bail plea of former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and said that agency is in process of gathering some fresh evidence

Politicians don't have higher immunity: SC on Oppn's plea on CBI, ED misuse

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the political parties, tried very hard to convince the court to change its mind and lay down guidelines of arrest of the leaders of opposition

Can't make separate guidelines for politicians: SC quashes plea by Oppn

Fourteen Opposition parties had filed a plea with the Supreme Court seeking a fresh set of guidelines governing the arrest, remand, and bail for politicians

ED arrested 374 people in 5 years, directors of companies among them: Govt

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested 374 people, including directors of corporate firms, in the last five years under the anti-money laundering law, the government informed Parliament on Monday. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, said that in major cases of "corporate fraud" like those against the Sterling Biotech group, a Vadodara-based company promoted by the Sandesara brothers, Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, the ED has attached properties worth Rs 33,862.20 crore. The ED is a federal probe agency entrusted to implement the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). "Out of these, assets worth Rs 15,113.02 crore have been confiscated and restituted to the public sector banks." "Further, the consortium of banks led by SBI has realised Rs 7,975.27 crore by sale of assets handed over to them by the Directorate of Enforcement," the minister stated. He was responding to a questio

Patra 'chawl' case: ED attaches 2 Goa plots of HDIL promoters Wadhawans

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it has attached two Goa plots of HDIL promoters Rakesh Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan worth more than Rs 31 crore in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra 'chawl' in Mumbai. The money laundering case stems from an FIR registered by the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd. and others. The Wadhawans were the directors of this company. The ED had arrested Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut and his "close associate" Pravin Raut in this case earlier. The case pertained to a Rs 1,034-crore alleged land scam related to the re-development of the Patra "chawl" in Mumbai's Goregaon. Guru Ashish Construction Private Limited was involved in the re-development of this "chawl", which had 672 tenants living in tenements on 47 acres belonging to the Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA), the ED

ED investigating several cases related to crypto frauds: MoS Finance

Enforcement Directorate is investigating several cases related to cryptocurrency/ virtual digital currency frauds wherein a few crypto exchanges have also been found involved in money laundering, Parliament was informed on Monday. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said the virtual digital assets have the potential for criminal misuse. "Directorate of Enforcement is investigating several cases related to crypto currency/ virtual digital currency frauds wherein a few crypto exchanges have also been found involved in money laundering," he said. Necessary action as per provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) has been taken by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), he added. "As on January 31, 2023, proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 936.89 crore have been attached/seized/freezed, five persons have been arrested and six Prosecution Complaints (PCs), including one supplementary PC have been filed before the Special Cour

ED raids: BJP trying to execute Operation Lotus in Chhattisgarh, says Cong

The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh on Monday said Enforcement Directorate raids being carried out against its leaders were part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's efforts to execute 'Operation Lotus' in the state. 'Operation Lotus' is a term used by parties to allege horse-trading and poaching attempts by the BJP to bring down governments in states. The premises of chairman of Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Girish Dewangan, Raipur mayor Aijaz Dhebar, chairman of Chhattisgarh State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board Sushil Sunny Agrawal were raided by the ED recently. All three were present at the press conference held during the day at Rajiv Bhawan, the Congress' state headquarters. Dewangan claimed he was raided despite not having any link to the coal business. "The way the ED is taking action, it seems the agency has been trying to execute Operation Lotus in Chhattisgarh," he alleged. "I am chairman of the mineral development corporation but coal

ED, CBI raids have brought all corrupt people in one party: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged on Wednesday that CBI-ED raids have brought all the corrupt people in "one political party" and when the BJP's rule at the Centre comes to an end, the country will become corruption-free. Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks made a day before that the ED and the CBI have brought all the corrupt people on one platform, Kejriwal took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying, "The ED and the CBI have brought all the corrupt people together not on one platform, but in the same party." Speaking on a confidence motion tabled by him in the Assembly, the chief minister alleged that the BJP withdrew its no-confidence motion after it failed to poach AAP MLAs, who he said will never succumb to any pressure. Alleging that the BJP only knows how to fight and abuse, he claimed that let alone the 2025 Assembly polls, the saffron party will not be able to win an election in Delhi even in 2050. Alleging the use of central agencies by th

Chhattisgarh coal levy case: ED conducts fresh searches against IAS officer

The Enforcement Directorate, probing an alleged illegal coal levy case in Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday conducted searches at places linked to a senior IAS officer, a Congress leader, and others in the state capital Raipur, official sources said. The investigation relates to "a massive scam in which an illegal levy of Rs 25 was being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen", the agency has said. Visuals on Wednesday morning showed paramilitary personnel in the residence of IAS officer Anil Kumar Tuteja, Raipur Mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar and liquor businessman Baldev Singh Bhatia alias Pappu Bhatia, where according to officials, searches are underway. Tuteja is posted as Joint Secretary in the state's Industry and Commerce department. On Tuesday, the ED launched searches on the premises of senior IPS officer Dipanshu Kabra, prominent businessman Kamal Sarda, and others. Ch

Delhi excise policy scam: ED questions former Dy CM Manish Sisodia's PA

In a latest development in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was on Tuesday grilling Devendra Sharma, the personal assistant (PA) to Manish Sisodia

Enforcement Directorate conduct searches in Chhattisgarh coal levy case

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted fresh searches at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh as part of its ongoing money laundering investigation into an illegal coal levy case, official sources said. The investigation relates to "a massive scam in which illegal levy of Rs 25 was being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen", the agency had earlier said. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had said an amount of at least Rs 540 crore was "extorted" over the last two years. Premises related to those allegedly linked to Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee treasurer Ramgopal Agrawal and arrested coal businessman Sunil Agarwal, besides a few others, in state capital Raipur and in Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh were searched, the official sources said. Nine people, including state administrative service officer Saumya Chaurasia, coal trader Suryakant Tiwa

SC quashes ED appeal, says grant of bail duration to include remand period

Dismissing an appeal of the Enforcement Directorate, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the 60/90-day duration for the grant of default bail in a criminal case will include the remand period. A bench of Justices KM Joseph, Hrishikesh Roy and BV Nagarathna dismissed the appeal filed by the ED challenging the Bombay High Court order granting bail to former DHFL promoters Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan in a Yes Bank money laundering case being probed by the agency. "The remand period will be calculated from the date, magistrate remand the accused. An accused becomes entitled to default bail if the charge sheet is not filed by 61st or 91st day of the remand period", the bench said. The three-judge bench answered the larger issue referred to it by a two-judge bench in 2021. It directed the pending petitions pertaining to the case be placed before a two-judge bench. The top court had on February 9, reserved its verdict on the appeal of ED. On February 23, 2021, the top court ha

ED attaches assets worth Rs 33.06 crore in money laundering case

Enforcement Directorate said it has attached 24 immovable properties of one Nowhera Shaik and Heera Group of companies in Hyderabad worth Rs 33.06 crore in a case related to defrauding people

Court to hear Sisodia's bail plea in money laundering case on April 5

A court on Saturday adjourned till April 5 the hearing on the bail plea of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who has been arrested by the ED in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in implementing the now-scrapped excise policy in Delhi. Special Judge MK Nagpal adjourned the hearing after Sisodia's counsel sought more time to prepare a detailed response to ED's submission on the bail plea. Sisodia moved the bail plea on Tuesday and the court sought the Enforcement Directorate's response by March 25. On Wednesday, after seven days of questioning by the ED, the court sent him to 14-day judicial custody. On Friday, the court reserved its order on a separate bail plea moved by Sisodia in the excise policy case lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Special Judge Nagapal said the court will pronounce its order on the bail plea in the CBI case on March 31. The ED arrested the former Delhi deputy chief minister on March 9 at Tihar jail, where he was lodged in connec

Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi questioned by CBI, ED quizzes sister Misa

Investigation agencies on Saturday questioned Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and his MP sister Misa Bharti in connection with the railways land-for-jobs scam case here, officials said. While Yadav was quizzed by the CBI for more than eight hours, the ED questioned Bharti for over six hours, they said. Slamming the BJP over the questioning of the two Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged the ruling party wants to finish off the Opposition and democracy and also expressed solidarity saying, "We are all united against the attack on democracy." In a tweet in Hindi, she said, "BJP wants to finish off the Opposition and democracy from this country. That is why it is continuously attacking the voice of the people in the Opposition." Yadav had missed three earlier dates given by the agency and arrived at the CBI headquarters here around 10:30 am according to his commitment to the Delhi High Court last week, they said. He w

ED arrests 2 of its staffers, another man for 'leaking sensitive info'

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday said it has arrested two of its contractual staffers at its Mumbai office and a "close associate" of an arrested former chairman of a Maharashtra-based cooperative bank for allegedly sharing "sensitive" probe information in lieu of a bribe. The investigation pertains to a money-laundering probe against Amar Mulchandani, a former chairman of the Seva Vikas Cooperative Bank. The Maharashtra Police arrested Mulchandani and five of his family members for "obstructing" an ED raid against the former on January 27 and alleged destruction of evidence. "During the course of the investigation, it was observed that a person was frequently lurking around the ED office premises (in Mumbai). He was intercepted and it was found that he was Bablu Sonkar (an employee of Amar Mulchandani) and that he was tasked by the Mulchandani family to threaten the witnesses and pass on bribe amounts to a data-entry operator and a contingent staff working in the ED ...

ED attaches Ambience Tower worth over Rs 252 cr in money laundering case

Delhi-based Ambience Tower belongs to Ambience Towers Pvt. Ltd, a company of Ambience Group, promoted by Raj Singh Gehlot, the ED said