The court said that it would record the submissions of ED’s special counsel Zoheb Hossain…reports Asian Lite News
The Rouse Avenue court on Thursday granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s regular bail in a money laundering case related to Delhi Excise Policy. Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed the bail application.
Vacation judge Nyay Bindu granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal on furnishing bail bond of Rs One Lakh. The bail bond will be furnished tomorrow. A detailed order will be uploaded tomorrow.
The court refused the request of ED to postpone the process of filing of bail bond for 48 hours. ED requested the postponement so that they could avail their legal remedy to challenge the order at the High Court. The Court has also said that the bail order has not been stayed.
The court said that it would record the submissions of ED’s special counsel Zoheb Hossain.
While opposing the bail application, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju submitted that bribe money was sent for Goa election by Hawala transaction and Arvind Kejriwal was in touch with Angadiya (Hawala dealers). The bribe money was sent by Vinod Chauhan and it was received by Chanpreet Singh Rayat who was handling the election of AAP in Goa.
Meanwhile, leaders of opposition parties called it “long overdue.” In a post on X, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said, “Congratulations. Kejriwal gets bail. Long overdue. From the prosecutions standpoint now that elections are over no need to keep him in jail! The justice delivery system has been unfair !”
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav referred it as the “victory of truth.”
“The bail of Delhi’s popular Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal ji is another victory of truth. The power and unity of the ‘India Alliance’ is going to liberate the people of India from the painful rule of BJP. Very soon India will form a coalition government,” the SP chief said.
Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the statements by the Directorate of Enforcement are based on lies.
“At such a time, Arvind Kejriwal’s release from jail will strengthen democracy. This is good news for the country and the people of Delhi. ED’s statements so far are based on lies. This is a baseless fake case created to implicate Kejriwal ji. #ArvindKejriwal #AAP #Delhi,” he said in a post on X.
Congress leader Manish Tiwari, in a post on X, said, “Gratifying to note that @ArvindKejriwal Ji has been granted bail by the Rouse Avenue court. Hope he is able to resume his responsibilities at the earliest.”
Punjab Minister and AAP leader Kuldeep Dhaliwal said, “Truth has won, Indian democracy has won and the forces that save democracy have won. Today the court has done great justice in the fake case filed by the BJP against Arvind Kejriwal. Today the entire countrymen have won.”
Barely hours after the SS(UBT) named Amol Kirtikar as MVA nominee, the ED popped a notice on him for his alleged role in BMC’s ‘khichdi scam’, a report by Quaid Najmi…reports Asian Lite News
The coveted Mumbai North West (MNW) Lok Sabha constituency is a fight between the two rival Senas – Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) – and the dreaded Enforcement Directorate (ED) lurking around the candidates of both parties.
Barely hours after the SS(UBT) named Amol Kirtikar as Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) nominee for the seat, the ED popped a notice on him for his alleged role in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s ‘khichdi scam’.
In fact, ruling Shiv Sena’s sitting MP Gajanan Kirtikar – father of Amol G. Kirtikar – even publicly expressed his strong displeasure on the purported ‘misuse’ of the ED, embarrassing the Mahayuti allies.
As Amol Kirtikar complied with the ED notice and went for a probe, a prominent SS(UBT) leader Ravindra D Waikar suddenly defected to the Shiv Sena – and was rewarded with a LS ticket.
Just a few days ago, Waikar let the cat out of the bag when quizzed on his abrupt party-hopping, as he morosely replied, “I had only two avenues – go to jail, or change sides… Besides, there was no support from my party…”
Leaving the Mahayuti stunned, Waikar said that he and his wife were falsely implicated in the alleged luxury hotel scam in Jogeshwari, in which he is accused of flouting BMC agreements as the plot was reserved for a public park.
Accordingly, he decided to join the Shiv Sena and was named a Mahayuti candidate for MNW LS seat, against Amol G. Kirtikar the son of his close associate Gajanan Kirtikar.
The INDIA-MVA leaders beat the Mahayuti-BJP-NDA allies with Waikar’s statement, saying this confirms the Opposition parties’ allegations on how the ED, CBI, IT, and other central investigation agencies are being used to target political opponents.
The MNW seat created upheaval even elsewhere with former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam dumping the party to join Shiv Sena after he was denied a ticket, even as Shinde briefly toyed with the idea of fielding Bollywood actor Govinda.
For the present poll scenario, Shinde managed to mollify Nirupam and deployed Govinda – an ex-Congress MP – to attract crowds to the party’s rallies.
The MNW seat comprises six Assembly segments, of which three are held by the BJP, one by Shiv Sena and two by Shiv Sena (UBT).
They are: BJP’s Goregaon (MLA Vidya Thakur), Versova (MLA Bharati Lavekar) and Andheri West (MLA Ameet Satam); Shiv Sena’s (MLA Ravindra D. Waikar, now the LS candidate); and SS(UBT)’s Dindoshi (MLA Sunil Prabhu) and Andheri East (MLA Rutuja Latke).
Since it came into existence in 1967, the MNW has thrown up several stalwarts including four Union ministers – HR Gokhale, Ram Jethmalani, Sunil Dutt and Gurudas Kamat (all deceased) – at various points in different governments at the Centre.
With his secular image, Dutt nurtured MNW for five terms to make it a Congress bastion, and after his passing in 2005, his daughter Priya Dutt was elected for one term in a bypoll.
On just three occasions, MNW constituency repeated the same party/candidate – Janata Party’s Jethmalani (1977 and 1980), (undivided) Shiv Sena’s Madhukar Sarpotdar (1996 and 1998), Shiv Sena’s Gajanan Kirtikar (2014 and 2019), making it an unpredictable seat for most parties.
The cosmopolitan population in the region comprises Marathis, Gujaratis, North Indians, Rajasthanis, Dalits, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, besides the working classes from outside Maharashtra.
There is a generous dollop of glamour, corporate honchos, film and television stars sprinkled in Versova, Andheri, Goregaon, Dindoshi; the world-famous Film City nestles here, plus there is a good railway, road, metro-rail infrastructure and connectivity.
Congress slams BJP for ‘washing machine’ tactic
The Congress has accused the BJP of using its “washing machine” tactic to absorb leaders facing anti-corruption probes in Maharashtra. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted the cases of Ravindra Waikar, Yamini Jadhav, and Narayan Rane, who joined the ruling alliance despite facing investigations. Ramesh posed several questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his rallies in the state.
Ramesh criticized the BJP for diluting the rights of Adivasis in Maharashtra, referencing the Forest Rights Act of 2006, which the Congress introduced to grant legal rights to tribal communities. He claimed that the Forest Conservation Amendment Act introduced by PM Modi last year has undermined these rights, stripping local communities of their consent and statutory requirements for forest clearance. According to Ramesh, this move aims to benefit corporate interests.
He presented data showing the Mahayuti government’s failure to fully implement the Forest Rights Act, depriving millions of Adivasis of their benefits. Only 52% of the individual claims filed have been granted, and land titles distributed cover merely 23.5% of the eligible area for community rights. Ramesh questioned why the BJP and its allies have neglected Adivasis’ forest rights in Maharashtra.
Ramesh also highlighted the BJP’s alleged admission of using its “washing machine” to integrate leaders facing corruption allegations. Kirit Somaiya, a former BJP MP, had accused Waikar, Jadhav, and Rane of corruption. These leaders subsequently joined the Mahayuti alliance, and Somaiya commented on their switch by saying, “Everyone deserves a chance. If the shirt gets stained, then you wash it and wear it again.” Ramesh noted that Waikar himself mentioned having two options with Thackeray’s Shiv Sena: switch parties or face jail.
Ramesh further criticized the BJP for the increase in construction worker deaths in Maharashtra since 2021, citing a three-fold rise. He accused the BJP of neglecting safety regulations established by the Congress in 2007 under the Maharashtra Building and Other Construction Workers’ Rules. He pointed to the August 2023 incident where 13 laborers died on the Samruddhi Expressway in Thane, with families receiving delayed compensation after extensive paperwork.
The Congress leader also emphasized the party’s commitment to protecting unorganized workers’ rights, promising a national minimum wage of Rs 400 per day in their Nyay Patra. Ramesh urged the prime minister to address these critical issues, challenging him to outline his vision for the safety and security of construction workers.
New Delhi, Mar 22 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Rouse Avenue Court after his Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand hearing in an alleged Delhi excise policy case, in New Delhi on Friday. He has been sent to ED custody till March 28 by the court. (ANI Photo)
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday sent CM Kejriwal to ED custody in the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Friday remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for seven days i.e., till March 28, a day after he was arrested by the probe agency in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case linked to a money laundering case.
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday sent CM Kejriwal to ED custody in the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.
Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after Kejriwal was produced on Friday following his arrest on Thursday night by the central probe agency.
Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vikram Chaudhari, and Ramesh Gupta along with Advocates Rajat Bharadwaj, Mudit Jain and Mohd Irshad appeared for the Delhi CM Kejriwal.
ASG SV Raju and Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain appeared for the probe agency.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped.
“ED was asking for a 10-day remand. They said that to trace the money trail, a custodial investigation is necessary. Considering all aspects, the judge gave a 6-day custodial remand. He will be presented here again on 28 March. ED argued that the money used for the Goa elections was ill-gotten. They said they have statements of some witnesses which prove this fact.” Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyer Madan Lal told reporters.
After the court’s decision, Atishi said that the party would explore all possible legal routes for further actions.
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Rouse Avenue Court after his Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand hearing in an alleged Delhi excise policy case, in New Delhi on Friday. He has been sent to ED custody till March 28 by the court. (ANI Photo)
“We, very respectfully and humbly disagree with the decision of the court. ED has no proof even after 2 years of investigation… ED forced their witnesses to give statements against Arvind Kejriwal… We will explore all possible legal routes… One by one opposition parties are being targeted in front of the judiciary… Arvind Kejriwal will always be the CM of Delhi. There is no Constitutional bar on him not being the CM. He has not been convicted till now,” she said.
Terming the day as a “dark” one, Atishi further said that the ‘democracy in the country has been murdered today’.
“BJP wants to contest elections from behind the ED… Is ED a part of the BJP that the party is issuing their press release? To date, no proceeds of crime have been found by the ED against the AAP leaders… Today is a dark day in the history of democracy of the country. People of the country are seeing this murder of democracy which has been done today,” she added.
The arrest by the central agency has drawn severe criticism for the BJP-led centre from the opposition leaders.
Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot, while questioning the action by the federal agency said, “We met the family of Arvind Kejriwal after much delay… We have been saying from the very beginning that this case is false and the only motive is to stop Arvind Kejriwal. What recovery has been made by the ED till now?… It is the party’s stand that the CM should not resign. The government will be run from wherever the CM is. We have no problem with this and no law says he should resign…”
AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the ‘countdown of the Central government has begun on 21 March’ with the arrest of Delhi CM.
“… It is Arvind Kejriwal today, it can be someone else tomorrow. This government will spare no one… The world is supporting Arvind Kejriwal. And when things like this happen at a global scale, revolutions happen and governments are overturned. The countdown of the Central government has begun on 21 March… BJP supporters are also coming to us and saying, all was fine till now, but this has become a little too much,” he said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav voiced criticism of the arrest of Kejriwal, alleging that government institutions like ED, CBI, and income tax work as instruments for the government.
“These are government institutions, they’ll do what the government wants. This raises the question of whether in a democracy, institutions operate as instruments and are working as instruments to please the BJP. They are creating false cases to make records globally. They are not only making records globally but also creating records of false cases. The BJP is setting records in creating false cases worldwide,” said Akhilesh Yadav.
An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporter being detained during a protest against the arrest of CM Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged Delhi excise policy case, in Bhubaneswar on Friday. (ANI Photo)
Terming Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest “unethical and wrong,” Congress leader Sachin Pilot said on Friday that he had never seen such an action against an elected Chief Minister.
“I have never seen such an action on an elected CM. When the Model Code of Conduct is implemented in the country, going to arrest a CM at night, has been opposed by all. This is very unethical and wrong. The Election Commission should intervene in this matter,” Pilot said.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi chief and former Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrashekhar Rao, whose daughter K Kavitha is also in ED custody in the same case called Kejriwal’s arrest a “dark day” in Indian democracy.
“The arrest of Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is a dark day in the history of democracy of the country,” said a press statement by KCR.
Raising slogans “Arvind tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare sath hain” and “tyranny won’t last”, hundreds of AAP leaders and workers on Friday hit the streets to protest against the BJP over Kejriwal’s arrest, with AAP ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and others being detained earlier in the day.
Several protestors were bundled into buses as they gathered at the ITO intersection around 10.30 am to proceed towards the BJP office on the DDU Marg.
Paramilitary personnel in anti-riot gear were also deployed to maintain law and order.
As Delhi cabinet ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and others tried to proceed towards the BJP headquarters around 11 am, they were taken away in police buses.
Later, 21 workers including the ministers were released.
AAP leaders alleged that they were stopped by the police from meeting family members of the Delhi CM.
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi alleged that the party leaders who marched towards the residence of Delhi CM Kejriwal in the Civil Lines area were stopped and not allowed to meet Kejriwal’s family.
“We have come to meet Arvind Kejriwal’s family but police and administration are not allowing us to go inside. Democracy can’t be murdered like this and we can’t be stopped from raising our voices. The people of Delhi are with Arvind Kejriwal,” Oberoi told ANI.
Later, selected AAP MLAs, Chief Whip Dilip K. Pandey, Mayor Shelly Oberoi, Cabinet Ministers Imran Hussain and Raaj Kumar Anand, were allowed to enter the residence of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
The AAP will gherao the prime minister’s residence on March 26 to register its protest against Kejriwal’s arrest by the ED, the party’s leader Gopal Rai said on Friday.
Speaking to ANI, Rai said that the party will not celebrate Holi this year.
“People across the country have taken to the streets against this arrest… Tomorrow our ministers, councilors, officials, INDIA bloc leaders all will reach Shaheedi Park at 10 o’clock tomorrow to protest against this dictatorship…This year the Holi programme won’t take place. On 25 March we will go to people and tell them what is happening in the country… On 26 March whole of Delhi will gherao PM’s residence to mark a protest against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest,” the Delhi Minister said.
Meanwhile, jibing at the AAP leader, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari said, “If no one has come today, then who is going to come after 2-4 days?… The people of Delhi are not even discussing them. No one is going to ask them.”
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said, “I would like Gopal Rai to roam the streets of Delhi on March 25 and see with how much enthusiasm and joy the people of Delhi will celebrate Holi because on Holi, evil is destroyed and good wins. Yes, this time this work has been done in Delhi, evil has been destroyed.”
INDIA bloc leaders on Friday met the Election Commission against Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and the alleged targeting of Opposition leaders across the country ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
The letter submitted to the poll body by INDIA on Friday asserted that “arrests, of individuals holding Constitutional posts are clearly intended to have a stifling and deleterious effect on the democratic functioning of the affairs of their respective states, as well as the parties themselves”.
The letter further read, “It is a move that is deliberately designed to demotivate and demoralise the members of these parties and the opposition at large. These arrested individuals, one of whom is the National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, and the other is the Working President of Jharkhand, Mukti Morcha, are elected leaders of our country who have championed the cause of those on the margins of our society, including our brothers and sisters belonging to the tribal communities.”
While Kejriwal was not named in the FIRs registered by the ED or the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Delhi excise policy case, his name first found a mention in the ED’s chargesheet wherein the agency claimed that he allegedly spoke to one of the main accused, Sameer Mahendru, in a video call and asked him to continue working with co-accused and AAP communications-in-charge Vijay Nair.
Nair was among the first people to be arrested by CBI in the case, in 2022. Subsequently, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were arrested in connection with the case. (ANI)
The ED’s investigation was triggered by FIRs registered by multiple agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Lucknow, Kolkata Police, and the Uttar Pradesh Police…reports Asian Lite News
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Delhi Zonal Office has provisionally attached an amount of Rs 10.29 Crore belonging to the All-India Trinamool Congress (AITC) party.
According to a press release, the funds were in the form of a Demand Draft tendered by AITC during the investigation into allegations of money laundering by the Alchemist Group and others.
The Alchemist Group, notably headed by Kanwar Deep Singh, an Ex-Member of Rajya Sabha from AITC, is allegedly at the centre of the investigation.
The ED’s investigation was triggered by FIRs registered by multiple agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Lucknow, Kolkata Police, and the Uttar Pradesh Police.
These FIRs implicated various individuals and group companies associated with the Alchemist Group under different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860.
According to ED findings, M/s Alchemist Group allegedly amassed funds exceeding Rs 1800 Crore from investors and victims through its companies, primarily M/s Alchemist Holdings Limited and M/s Alchemist Township India Limited.
The funds were obtained under false pretenses of providing high returns and offering properties such as flats, villas, and plots, or high-interest rates on investments.
However, the investors were never refunded their money, and the funds were illicitly diverted to various group companies of the Alchemist Group.
Further investigation by the ED revealed that a portion of the fraudulently obtained funds was utilized by the Alchemist Group to make payments to aviation companies on behalf of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) party.
Specifically, an amount of Rs 10.29 Crore was paid by Alchemist Airways Pvt Ltd to various aviation and helicopter companies for services availed by the AITC during the campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.
These services were reportedly utilized by star campaigners of AITC, including Ms. Mamta Banerjee, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mukul Roy, the Ex-Union Railway Minister, and MPs such as Munmun Sen and Nusrat Jahan.
While the provisional attachment marks a significant step in the investigation, the ED has reiterated that further inquiries are underway. (ANI)
ED creating terror amongst the opposition, says Pawar
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday alleged that the BJP-led government is misusing agencies like Enforcement Directorate to create fear among the opposition and called ED the “supporting party” of BJP.
Speaking to the reporters in Pune Pawar cited figures of ED actions between 2005 and 2023 and mentioned that of 5906 cases registered by ED, only 25 cases have been disposed off.
“0.42 per cent is the disposal rate and the conviction rate is just .40 per cent. The ED’s budget has risen up from 300 crores in 2022 to Rs 404 crore. During this period of between 2005 and 2023, two governments were in power which includes UPA which we were also part of and during UPA’s regime, ED investigated 26 leaders of which 5 were from Congress and 3 were from BJP. It shows that during the UPA regime, ED’s action was not politically motivated but after 2014, not a single BJP leader has been questioned,” Pawar said.
“In Karnataka one of the senior member of the party was arrested and a case was done against him …later he decided to take that case in the court ….now we are getting information that …he was proved not guilty ..this prove that how Ed is being misused” Pawar said.
He added that all these figures raise doubt as to if ED’s action under BJP was politically motivated.
“It indicates that ED has become a supporting party of BJP. BJP leaders know about the ED’s actions in advance looks like these orders come from BJP,” he said.
“During the dispensation of Manmohan Singh, ED was not misused but now the agency is being used to create fear among the opposition leaders,” he said.
Earlier, Rohit Pawar the grandson of Appasaheb and, the elder brother of NCP founder Sharad Pawar has come under scanner…in a statement, The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that it has provisionally attached properties worth Rs 50.2 crore under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of the Kannad Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited (Kannad SSK sugar mill) belonging to the Baramati Agro Ltd. The action is connected with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case.
The Baramati Agro Ltd is owned by NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew MLA Rohit Pawar. It has been alleged that the MSCB illegally sold sugar factories to M/s Baramati Agro Ltd. (ANI)
Congress leader Kapil Sibal questions ED’s credibility, says despite being aware of corruption cases against BJP leaders the agency refrains from taking action…reports Asian Lite News
Questioning the credibility of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Congress leader Kapil Sibal said that despite ED being aware of corruption cases against BJP leaders in various states, central agency refrains from taking action against them.
Kapil Sibal said that Bharatiya Janata Party has only one goal in its mind which is to oust governments ruled by opposition parties in various states.
“Questions have been raised many times on the credibility of ED, earlier also I have told many names who have contested elections and have themselves told which cases are against them. There are criminal cases, that are related to BJP, ED knows this information in many such states, then why don’t they (ED) take action there?,” Kapil Sibal said.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP further stated that the BJP does not even want opposition to campaign in Lok Sabha elections.
“They (BJP) have one goal, target the opposition and oust them from power, they (the opposition) should not be able to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections, if they do not campaign then it will definitely have side effects,” he said.
The remarks of the Congress leader came after former Jharkhand Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED after several summons were issued to him in the alleged land scam case and several hours of questioning on Wednesday night.
The Jharkhand High Court has scheduled the hearing for the petition filed by former Chief Minister Hemant Soren on February 5.
The probe pertains to proceeds of crime generated by allegedly forging official records by showing ‘fake sellers’ and purchasers in the guise of forged or bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores.
Soren had challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged land scam case.
Meanwhile, amidst the political unrest in Jharkhand, Champai Soren took oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand on Friday at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.
ED moves Jharkhand HC
Meanwhile, The Enforcement Directorate has moved the Jharkhand High Court challenging the First Information Report registered against its officials based on a complaint by former Chief Minister Hemant Soren alleging “harassment” by the probe agency and accusing them of “maligning” his entire community.
On Wednesday, Hemant Soren filed a complaint against officials of the probe agency alleging that the officials tried to ‘harass’ and ‘malign’ him and his entire community.
Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED on Wednesday evening after seven hours of grilling in an alleged money laundering case.
He has been facing questions from the probe agency in an alleged money laundering case.
Following his arrest, senior JMM leader Champai Soren took oath as the Chief Minister on Friday afternoon.
“ED has moved to the Jharkhand High Court challenging the FIR registered against its officials by former CM Hemant Soren under the SC/ST Act. The petition was filed on 3rd February,” Officials said.
The complaint was filed at the SC ST police station in Ranchi.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has 29 seats, its ally Congress has 17 and the RJD and the CPI (ML) have 1 seat each in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly. With the support of 43 MLAs, the INDIA bloc has the numbers to sail through the floor test.
Meanwhile, the two-day Assembly session will begin from today. The Champai Soren-led coalition government in Jharkhand willl seek a trust vote. The Ranchi district administration has imposed Section 144 of CrPC within a 100-meter radius of the assembly building.
As per an official order, restrictions will be imposed from Monday at 8:00 am until Tuesday at 10:00 pm.
These stringent measures come into force as part of the security arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the special session and to prevent any untoward incidents in the new Jharkhand Legislative Assembly building.
Crucial floor test
Ahead of the Jharkhand assembly floor test today, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya expressed confidence in winning the floor test by Champai Soren-led government, and claimed that his party will get a minimum of 47 MLAs’ support in the floor test.
“The floor test will be done. We have, not less than 47,” said JMM General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said showing the victory signal.
The two-day Assembly session will begin on Monday. The Champai Soren-led coalition government in Jharkhand willl seek a trust vote.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has 29 seats, its ally Congress has 17 and the RJD and the CPI (ML) have 1 seat in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly. With the support of 43 MLAs, the INDIA bloc has the numbers to sail through the floor test.
Amidst the political unrest in the state, triggered by former Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s arrest by Directorate of Enforcement officials in an alleged land scam case, Champai Soren, a leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party, took oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi on February 3. (ANI)
He had gone under the scanner of ED since the time he played a crucial role in the formation of the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government which fell in June 29 after 31 months in power…reports Asian Lite News
The stormy petrel of Shiv Sena and four-time Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, shall be produced before a special court later in the day.
After an 18-hour suspense starting with a raid by the ED on Raut’s home at dawn on Sunday, then his detention and grilling, the firebrand MP was finally arrested in the early hours of Monday in connection with the alleged Rs 1,034-crore Patra Chawl land scam case.
After a medical check-up, Raut shall be taken before a Special Court under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, where ED cases are usually heard, at around 11.30 a.m..
Raut, 61-year is a close aide of Shiv Sena President and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, plus the Chief Spokesperson of Shiv Sena and executive editor of the SAAMANA Group of newspapers.
Over the years, Raut became one of the most virulent critics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) besides rallying together the various state and national Opposition parties.
He had gone under the scanner of ED since the time he played a crucial role in the formation of the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government which fell in June 29 after 31 months in power.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Raut’s brother and Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Raut said that with the arrest, the BJP is trying to muzzle the voice of Shiv Sena.
“We are not scared by all this bogus actions… Raut saheb will fight, we all shall fight… the Shiv Sena will fight but will not now before the BJP, Sanjay Raut will never leave the Sena,” he said.
The ED had sent several summons to the Sena leader which he skipped, following which he has been arrested.
Earlier, a month back he had even dared the ED to arrest him.
The ED had earlier sent Pune businessman Avinash Bhosale into custody in DHFL-Yes Bank case, and the sources claimed that they wanted to grill Raut in this matter too.
Sources claimed that Patra Chawl case of ED is also linked to the DHFL case.
The Shiv Sena leader earlier took to Twitter to allege that he was being victimised on the instructions of the Centre.
In April, the ED had attached Raut’s property in connection with the land scam.
A property worth Rs 9 crore of Raut’s associate Pravin Raut and assets worth Rs 2 crore belonging to Varsha Raut, the wife of Sanjay Raut, were attached by the ED.
Pravin had eight parcels of land in Alibaug and a flat registered in the name of Varsha Raut which were attached. The ED had arrested Pravin in connection with the matter.
People familiar with the development said her questioning schedule might not be as hectic as that Rahul Gandhi, who was grilled for 10 hours over five days last month…reports Asian Lite News
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for her interrogation in the National Herald newspaper money laundering case even as Congress workers and party leaders protested in Lutyens’ Zone, a reminder of last month’s protests outside ED office when Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the federal agency.
Accompanied by her son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sonia Gandhi reached the ED office around noon.
The 75-year-old interim president of the grand old party, who is being questioned for the first time ever, is under investigation along with her son for alleged transfer of party funds to Associated Journals Limited, the company which ran National Herald, and running of Young Indian Pvt Ltd, in which she is a majority stakeholder.
People familiar with the development said her questioning schedule might not be as hectic as that Rahul Gandhi, who was grilled for 10 hours over five days last month.
However, she could be called for questioning again on consecutive days to answer the queries of the investigation team.
Keeping in mind her age and health, as special exemption, daughter Priyanka was allowed to accompany Sonia Gandhi inside the ED office, according to an officer.
However, Priyanka will be made to sit in a separate room, not in the interrogation room, the officer said. Rahul Gandhi, however, joined his mother only till outside the ED office.
Sonia Gandhi was originally supposed to be questioned on in first week of June but due to Covid-19 infection, the date was postponed to June 23. She had sought four weeks’ time from the central agency as she was strictly advised to rest at home following her hospitalisation last month due to Covid-19 infection. Her request had been accepted by the ED on June 23 and fresh summons were issued for Thursday.
She is likely to be questioned about her role in day-to- day functioning of Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI), a company in which she is a majority stakeholder along with her son Rahul Gandhi; acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd by YI; a loan of ₹90.21 crore given by the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) to AJL; and transactions related to the development of a property in Mumbai.
Rahul Gandhi was questioned for five days on similar lines last month in the case. Both are 76% stakeholders in Young Indian.
Congress party claimed that Gandhis are being hounded by the Centre. It has claimed that the transaction from AICC to AJL was done to help save the newspaper and pay the salaries of journalists and staffers at a time when AJL faced huge debts. It has further argued that the decision helped revive the organisation and blames the central government for raking up an old issue to target the Gandhi family and for political vendetta.
However, investigators have said that YI is not a charity. According to another officer, who didn’t want to be named, said, “as reflected in the Income Tax department’s probe, even though YI was registered under section 25 of Companies Act, 1956 in November 2010, it has no business or income of its own and has not carried out any charitable activities”.
During Rahul Gandhi’s extensive questioning in mid-June, hundreds of Congress workers and senior leaders protested in the national Capital and gave arrests alleging political vendetta by the Centre.
