Latest news with #DirectorateofEnforcement
NDTV
11 hours ago
- NDTV
Fake Bills, Mule Accounts Found In Delhi Classroom Construction Scam: Probe Agency
New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has unearthed substantial incriminating evidence in connection with the alleged 'Delhi classroom construction scam', following large-scale search operations carried out on June 18. The searches were conducted at 37 locations across the national capital under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED's probe stems from a first information report (FIR) filed by the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government against former ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, among others. The case involves alleged financial misappropriation to the tune of over Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of approximately 12,748 additional classrooms by the public works department (PWD) between 2015 and 2023. Investigators said the initial requirement was for 2,405 classrooms, but the project scope was arbitrarily and repeatedly expanded-first to 7,180 "equivalent classrooms" and later to 12,748 rooms - without proper sanction or administrative approval. This led to significant cost escalations, reportedly up to 49.03 per cent across different project phases. ED officials said the search operation revealed original departmental files belonging to the Delhi government and rubber stamps bearing names and designations of PWD officials from the premises of a private contractor. They also recovered 322 bank passbooks linked to mule accounts, allegedly opened in the names of labourers to facilitate diversion of government funds under the guise of legitimate payments. The agency uncovered fake letterheads of contractors and shell entities, used to fabricate procurement records and generate fictitious purchase bills. Several dummy firms with no real infrastructure or operations were allegedly shown to have received substantial payments for classroom construction. The ED seized forged invoices submitted to government departments, many of which either reflected inflated costs or entirely fictitious claims. Digital evidence and other financial documents recovered during the search are currently under forensic examination. The agency said the evidence points to widespread corruption, use of shell entities, and systemic diversion of public funds. Further investigation is going on.
Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Allahabad HC grants bail to former SHO accused in Bikru ambush
The Allahabad high court has granted bail to Vinay Kumar Tiwari, a former station house officer of Kanpur Nagar's Chaubepur police station who is an accused in the Bikru ambush. Tiwari had allegedly informed the main accused, gangster Vikas Dubey, ahead of a police raid on him. As a result of the ambush by the gangster and his henchmen, eight policemen were killed on July 3, 2020. After hearing both sides, Justice Siddharth, in an order dated June 16, directed the applicant to be released on bail. The court observed, 'Having considered the submissions of the parties, finding force in the submissions made by the counsel for the applicant, keeping in view uncertainty regarding conclusion of trial, one sided investigation by police, ignoring the case of accused side, applicant being under-trial having fundamental right to speedy trial, the larger mandate of the Article 21 of the Constitution of India, considering the dictum of apex court in the case of Manish Sisodia Vs. Directorate of Enforcement, 2024 Lawsuit (SC) 677, considering 5-6 times overcrowding in jails over and above their capacity by under trials and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, let the applicant involved in the aforesaid crime be released on bail.' During the hearing, the counsel for the applicant submitted that the applicant was in jail since July 8, 2020. The prosecution took more than two-and-a-half years to commence the trial on March 1, 2023 after filing of the charge-sheet on September 30, 2020. 'Before the trial court, there are 102 prosecution witnesses and only 13 have been examined till date,' the counsel said. 'There is no credible evidence collected by the investigating officer against the applicant to prove that he informed the main accused, Vikas Dubey, about the police raid against him nor his relationship with the gangster - Vikas Dubey was proved. A number of co-accused have been enlarged on bail,' the applicant's counsel said The state counsel opposed the prayer for bail of the applicant. He submitted that the applicant and co- accused, KK Sharma, who is a police personnel, conspired with the gangster, Vikas Dubey, which led to the incident and eight police personnel were murdered. On July 3, 2020, DSP Devendra Mishra and seven other Uttar Pradesh police personnel were killed in an ambush by the Vikas Dubey gang at Bikru village in Kanpur when they were on their way to arrest Dubey. About a week later, Dubey was himself killed in an encounter after he allegedly tried to escape from police custody.
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
No threat to Siddaramaiah's position as CM, says Mahadevappa
Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa has ruled out the possibility of any threat to Siddaramaiah's position as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Fielding queries relating to the stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru recently, Mr. Mahadevappa said the government has expressed shock and hurt over the loss of lives in the incident, but denied that the issue rocked the Chief Minister's chair. 'The Chief Minister's chair is firm. So is the person seated on it,' he said while asserting that Mr. Siddaramaiah will continue as the Chief Minister of the State. He said Mr. Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar visited the national capital to discuss issues related to the caste census, besides other issues pertaining to administration and strengthening of the party with the Congress party's central leadership. ED probe Responding to queries on the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) raids on the premises of Congress leaders, Mr. Mahadevappa said the probe agencies were empowered to conduct inquiries as per law based on complaints or information they had. 'But, if any probe becomes politically motivated, it is against the Constitution', he said. Dasara expenditure To a question on the delay in disclosing the expenditure during last year's Dasara, Mr. Mahadevappa said he has instructed the officials to make public the expenditure incurred by the government on the festivities. 'The expenditure on the Dasara festivities had been transparent. There is nothing to hide', he remarked.
New Indian Express
11-06-2025
- New Indian Express
PMLA case: ED slaps case on SDCC Bank president
SHIVAMOGGA: The Directorate of Enforcement(ED), Bengaluru zonal office, has filed a prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against RM Manjunatha Gowda, president, Shimoga District Central Co-operative (SDCC) Bank. The complaint was filed before the Special Court. They initiated the probe based on two FIRs— one registered by Shivamogga Police in connection with a gold loan fraud worth Rs 62.77 crore, and another by the Karnataka Lokayukta Police over allegations of disproportionate assets valued at Rs 3.95 crore. Gowda was arrested by the ED on April 9 in connection with the money laundering charges and is currently in judicial custody. The agency has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 13.91 crore, belonging to Gowda, wife, under PMLA provisions. The modus operandi in the alleged scam involved opening fraudulent gold loan accounts without the knowledge of individual account holders, using forged documents. Probe revealed that large-scale misappropriation of funds took place at the bank's city branch, primarily orchestrated by the branch manager, B Shobha, allegedly under the instructions of Gowda. The proceeds of crime generated by Shobha, in conspiracy with the other accused, were laundered and handed over to Gowda. He had allegedly acquired various movable and immovable properties.
New Indian Express
11-06-2025
- New Indian Express
ED attaches 92 MUDA sites allotted illegally
BENGALURU: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bengaluru zone office, on Monday provisionally attached 92 sites, with a market value of Rs 100 crore, that were illegally allotted by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The attached properties are registered in the name of housing cooperative societies and individuals who are front/ dummy for influential persons, including MUDA officials. ED started the investigation based on an FIR registered by the Mysuru Lokayukta police under various Sections of IPC and prevention of Corruption Act against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others, the ED release stated. The ED investigation revealed a large-scale scam in the allotment of MUDA sites by flouting various statutes and government orders/ guidelines and other fraudulent means, it stated. 'The role of ex-MUDA commissioners, including GR Dinesh Kumar, has emerged as instrumental in illegal allotment of compensation sites to ineligible entities / individuals. The evidence with respect to obtaining bribe for making illegal allotments through cash, bank transfer, movable and immovable properties have been gathered during the course of investigation,'' it added. Total value of seized properties Rs 400cr The ED release stated that the illegal allotments were made using fake documents or incomplete documents and also back dating of allotment letters in some cases in violation of government orders. 'The gratification received for these illegal allotments was routed through a cooperative society and bank accounts of the relatives / associates of the officers playing a key role in the allotment process. The gratification was further used to purchase some of these illegally allotted MUDA sites in the name of relatives of MUDA officers,'' release said. This attachment is in addition to 160 MUDA sites, with a market value of Rs 300 crore, seized by ED earlier. The total value of seized properties is now Rs 400 crore.
