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Money laundering case: ED attaches Jagan Reddy’s assets worth Rs 148 cr

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Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth over Rs 148 crore in connection with its money laundering probe in cases related to YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy and others, the agency said.

“ED attaches land worth Rs 148.89 crore in Andhra Pradesh under PMLA of companies of Nimmagadda Prasad in YS Jagan Mohan Reddy case,” the agency said.

A provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) law has been issued, a senior official said.

The ED began its probe against the politician and his associates on the basis of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR that stated that since “May 2004, Jagan floated number of companies wherein quid pro quo investments have been made by beneficiaries from decisions of the state government in various forms like SEZs (special economic zones), irrigation contracts, relaxation/permission for real estate ventures, mines among others.”

(PTI)

Pakistan Supreme Court disqualifies Nawaz Sharif

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Supreme Court ruling follows months of hearings over Nawaz Sharif’s alleged corruption revealed in ‘Panama Papers’ leak.

by Asad Hashim, Al Jazeera

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stepped down after the Supreme Court disqualified him from office as leader of the country’s government.

Friday’s landmark ruling comes after months of hearings in a case instigated by the “Panama Papers” leaks, related to alleged corruption during his previous two terms in office.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court announced the verdict to a packed courtroom in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

Sharif’s ouster, on the grounds that he lied about his assets during a corruption probe, means that his ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which holds a comfortable majority in parliament, will have to nominate a new leader.

According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, Sharif stood down from his post in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling.

“All legal and constitutional options will be exercised regarding our serious differences with this verdict, the statement read.

The 67-year-old becomes the latest Pakistani prime minister not to have completed a five-year term in office, many having been overthrown in coups by the country’s powerful military, which has ruled the country for roughly half of its 69-year-history.

Sharif and three of his children have been referred to a National Accountability court, which has been ordered to register corruption cases against them within six weeks, the judges said.

The court also referred Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who has served as Sharif’s accountant in the past, to the corruption court, along with other associates of Sharif.

‘True accountability’

Mariyam Aurangzeb, Sharif’s information minister, said the government was “saddened” but “not surprised” by Friday’s ruling.

PML-N would consult with legal experts before deciding on a course of action, she told reporters, adding that the verdict did not offer any proof of government corruption.

“I want to speak directly to Pakistan’s public … not a single paisa [the smallest unit of Pakistani currency] of government corruption has been established even by this verdict,” she said.

Meanwhile, the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced plans to celebrate the verdict with a rally on Sunday.

Imran Khan, the PTI leader who championed the case against Sharif, described Friday’s ruling as a triumph for democracy.

“What we have seen today, if anything could strengthen Pakistan’s democracy, then this is it. In a democracy, a leadership must be accountable,” the cricketer-turned-politician said. “Our democratic evolution has moved forward.”

Speaking ahead of the verdict, Siraj-ul-Haq, leader of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party and one of the plaintiffs in the case, said he hoped the decision would help strengthen the rule of law.

“True accountability is necessary for true democracy,” he told reporters outside the courtroom. “The law seems to not have been applied to the rich, but only to the poor.”

Money trail

The allegations against Sharif centred around the ownership of four apartments in London’s posh Park Lane neighbourhood.

In 2016, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists leaked 11.5 million documents from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, dubbed the “Panama Papers”.

Several documents included in the leak showed three of Sharif’s children – Hussain, Hasan and Maryam – owned at least three off-shore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands.

The documents showed that these companies had engaged in deals worth $25m.

Crucially, one of the documents also revealed that the companies had been involved in a $13.2m mortgage involving the London properties as collateral, the first time the Sharif family’s ownership of the apartments was proven on paper.

In November, after months of political turmoil, the Supreme Court launched hearings to establish whether the Sharif family had committed wrongdoing in obtaining the properties, or if the prime minister was liable for not declaring them earlier on tax and parliamentary wealth declarations.

Sharif denied the allegations against him, saying the assets were legally held by his children and were not in his name, and therefore he was not liable to declare them or be taxed on them.

The court demanded that the Sharif family establish a clear money trail showing how they came to own the properties.

According to the Sharifs, the money was obtained from the sale of a steel mill in the United Arab Emirates, and was further invested with Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al Thani, a Qatari royal and former prime minister of the peninsula.

Not satisfied with the explanation, the court in April constituted a high-level team to investigate the Sharifs.

The investigators found that Sharif had for years been the chairman of the board of Capital FZE, a company based in the United Arab Emirates, without declaring his position.

The court’s decision to remove Sharif was based on him not revealing a stake in the company in parliamentary wealth disclosures.

No democratically elected prime minister in Pakistan’s history has completed a full five-year term.

Sharif’s first two stints in power in the 1990s were both cut short; he was unseated in a military coup by General Pervez Musharraf in 1999.

Other prime ministers have been ousted in two previous coups in 1958 and 1977, by the courts or by motions of no-confidence within the parliament.

Al Jazeera slams Netanyahu bid to shut Jerusalem office

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Doha-based outlet says Israel leader’s defamatory claims are latest episode of ‘ongoing viscous attack’ against network.

Netanyahu threatens to shut down Al Jazeera’s offices in Jerusalem accusing the network of inciting tensions around Al-aqsa [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera has denounced a threat by the Israeli Prime Minister to close the network’s Jerusalem office, saying it will continue to cover events in the Palestinian territories professionally and objectively.

The Doha-based media network responded on Thursday, hours after the Israeli leader posted defamatory comments about the outlet’s coverage to his Facebook page, saying Al Jazeera journalists “incite violence”.

Al Jazeera “denounces such arbitrary accusations and hostile statements”, a press release from the network said.

Netanyahu’s comments mark “yet another episode of the ongoing vicious attack” against Al Jazeera, the statement read, referring to calls by a Saudi-led group boycotting Qatar to close the network.

“Al Jazeera stresses that it would take all necessary legal measures in case they act on their threat,” the statement continued.

“The network moreover reiterates that it will continue covering the news and events of the occupied Palestinian territories, and elsewhere, both professionally and objectively.”

Netanyahu has long complained of Al Jazeera’s coverage.

His latest comments come amid a major fallout between Israeli authorities and Palestinians over al-Aqsa Mosque.

“The Al Jazeera network continues to incite violence around the Temple Mount,” he wrote on social media late on Wednesday, referring to recent events at the holy site in Jerusalem known as Temple Mount to Jews.

“I have appealed several times to law enforcement authorities demanding the closure of the Al Jazeera Jerusalem office,” he continued. “If this does not happen because of legal interpretation, I will work to legislate the required laws in order to remove Al Jazeera from Israel.”

Muslims urged to return to al-Aqsa after protests

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Religious officials say Palestinians should celebrate victory as Israel lifts security following mass demonstrations.

Muslim elders urged faithful to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque after Israel removed security measures [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Muslim leaders of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem have given their approval for Palestinians to re-enter the site after Israel removed new security measures, following almost two weeks of protests that saw several Palestinians killed and hundreds injured.

Officials of the Islamic Waqf authority that administers the holy site said on Thursday that Muslims should claim victory after Israel backed down, and urged them to once again pray inside the mosque.

The first prayer is expected to take place at around 13:00 GMT.

“We will be able to offer prayers inside the compound,” said Abdel-Azeem Salhab, director of the Islamic Waqf Council.

“The Israeli occupation forces have been trying for decades to violate al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Now, you are living in the new era of victory. We totally appreciate the masses who have been gathering,” he added.

Israel had erected railings, gates and scaffolding where cameras were mounted at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound entrance, claiming the measures were necessary for security after an attack on July 14.

Palestinians protested against increased security, which they viewed as an encroachment of Israeli control over the holy site, and a form of collective punishment.

With the discriminatory security measures, they feared that Israel was attempting to change the status quo of al-Aqsa, which gives Muslims religious control over the compound and Jews the right to visit, but not pray there.

Deadly street protests

Instead of praying inside al-Aqsa, thousands worshipped in the streets.

They also demonstrated, often clashing with police. At least six Palestinians were killed in that violence – one of whom was shot by a settler, and hospitals were unable to keep up with the number of injured.

“We had to sacrifice everything, we had to win this battle, and we finally won,” Ahmed Abulawa, a resident of occupied East Jerusalem, told Al Jazeera. “Jerusalem is our soul, our faith and we cannot live without it and al-Aqsa.

“Everyone here will sacrifice everything for al-Aqsa, and this is what made us victorious.”

A Palestinian also allegedly broke into the home of a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank and killed three Israelis.

By Tuesday, Israel had removed metal detectors from the entrance.

The measures, which also saw Palestinian men under the age of 50 banned from Friday prayers, were imposed after the alleged attack almost two weeks ago at the compound, carried out by Palestinian gunmen who killed two Israeli security guards.

As workmen removed the extra security installations on Thursday, Palestinians gathered to celebrate, with whistling and constant horns from cars.

“The message here is that the people have won,” said Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem. “It is a very special time for the Palestinians, who have never really experienced this kind of victory. They have achieved what they wanted.”

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, backed calls to return to al-Aqsa Mosque.

“The prayers will happen, God willing, inside the al-Aqsa Mosque,” Abbas told a press conference.

Jordan welcomed Israel’s removal of all new security measures as “an essential step towards calm”, said Mohammad al-Momani, information minister.

The compound houses al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock shrine, Islam’s third holiest site after Mecca and Medina, but also the ruins of the Biblical Jewish Temple.

Israeli police earlier confirmed that all security measures had been removed.

Actor Charmme Kaur grilled by SIT for six hours in drug racket case

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Hyderabad: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana’s Excise Department, probing the Hyderabad drug racket, grilled actor Charmme Kaur for over six hours on Wednesday.

Charmme, with water bottle in one hand and waving at media persons with the other, left Abkari Bhavan, the office of Prohibition and Excise Department, around 5 pm but did not speak.

The questioning of Charmme, whose real name is Surdeep Kaur, began at 10 am and continued till the evening with lunch break. The actor refused to give her consent for drawing the samples of body fluid, hair and nails.

A four-member team including three women questioned the actor on her alleged links with Calvin Mascrenhas, the kingpin of the racket. She was also asked whether she takes drugs. The team, headed by Superintendent, Prohibition and Excise, K. Pavan Kumar, included three women – two inspectors and a sub-inspector. The women officers were included in the team on the directions of the Hyderabad High Court.

The court also asked the SIT not to collect Charmme’s blood, hair and nail samples without her consent. It, however, rejected her plea to allow the presence of her lawyer during the questioning. According to a statement from SIT, Charmme refused to give her consent for drawing the samples and thus they were not collected.

The officials understood to have gathered significant clues from Charmme, who was allegedly in touch with Calvin after the latter was introduced to her by director Puri Jagannadh. Earlier in the morning, there was commotion at Abkari Bhavan as Charmme reached there with bouncers.

The actor later complained to SIT officials about the alleged misbehaviour of a male police constable who had come very close to her. SIT took all precautions by deploying women constables when she was returning after the questioning.

Charmme is one of the 12 personalities from Tollywood summoned by the SIT for questioning in the drug racket which was busted here this month. The SIT has questioned seven celebrities including Charmme, actors Tarun and Navdeep and director Jagannadh after the SIT found their contact details in the call data of Mascrenhas.

Actor Mumaith Khan will appear before SIT on Thursday. Actor Ravi Teja and some others will be questioned this week.

The SIT has arrested 20 accused in the racket, which created a sensation following startling revelation that the peddlers sold drugs to students of several colleges and schools in Hyderabad, Tollywood celebrities and techies.

Telangana’s Excise Authorities arrested Mike Kaminga, a Dutch national on Tuesday night and narcotic substances was recovered from the 33-year-old.

Prohibition and Excise Department’s Director, Enforcement, Akun Sabharwal who is heading the probe, described it as an important arrest and that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was recovering key information from the accused in the case.

The Dutch national would be produced in the court, he added.

(Agencies)

First Test: Shami’s twin strikes give India upper hand vs Sri Lanka

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Photo Credit: BCCI

Galle: Pacer Mohammed Shami’s twin strikes in a single over put India in the driver’s seat in the opening cricket Test as Sri Lanka lost five quick wickets to totter at 154/5 at stumps on the second day at the Galle International Stadium here on Thursday.

The home side lost three wickets in quick succession to find themselves trailing by 446 runs in their first innings, with former skipper Angelo Mathews (54) and Dilruwan Perera (6) unbeaten at stumps.

Shami dealt crucial blows to register figures of 2/30 while fellow pacer Umesh Yadav and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged a wicket each. India opener Abhinav Mukund made things worse for the hosts by effecting the run-out of in-form Upul Tharanga.

Reduced to 10 men after the loss of all-rounder Asela Gunaratne, who was ruled out with a broken thumb on Wednesday, the hosts were off to a shaky start, losing opener Dimuth Karunaratne (2), debutant Danushka Gunathilaka (16) and Kusal Mendis (0) in the first 15 overs.

Karunaratne was trapped leg before by Umesh while Gunathilaka and Mendis were sent back in the same over by Shami.

Tharanga (64) and Mathews then steadied the ship with a 57-run stand for the fourth-wicket before Mukund’s brilliant throw sent back the newly-appointed Sri Lanka One-Day International (ODI) skipper.

Mukund’s throw from silly point to stumper Wriddhiman Saha resulted in Tharanga’s run-out, who reached the crease but his bat bounced while making the ground.

Incoming batsman Niroshan Dickwella (8) was caught brilliantly by Mukund at silly point after he failed to block the ball and managed only to get the outside edge off a delivery by tweaker Ashwin.

Earlier, a 62-run ninth-wicket stand between debutant Hardik Pandya (50) and Shami (30) helped India post 600 in their first essay.

Pandya’s half-century was laced with five boundaries and three sixes while Shami slammed three sixes in his cameo with a strike rate of 100.00.

Resuming the day at 399/3, the overnight duo of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane batted cautiously with the Saurashtra right-hander crossing the 150-run mark while Rahane too got to his half-century.

But the tide was destined to turn soon. Pujara was the first to go when pacer Nuwan Pradeep produced an excellent delivery which moved slightly away after pitching at a perfect length on the off-stump.

Pujara was totally outfoxed as the ball took the outer edge on its way into the gloves of Lankan wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella.

Rahane was the next to go. The Mumbai batsman mistimed an attempted drive off Lahiru Kumara only to see the ball take the outer edge and Dimuth Karunaratne pull of a superb diving effort at first slip.

The visitors plunged into further trouble when Wriddhiman Saha (16) and Ashwin (47) also went back in successive overs.

For the hosts, Pradeep (6/132) emerged the pick of the bowlers while fellow pacer Lahiru Kumara took 3/131 and skipper Herath bagged a wicket.

(IANS)

USA’s next presidential candidate appointed Indian Media Baron, Satish Reddy as the International Ambassador of Foreign Relations

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Mr. Satish Reddy will be instrumental in strengthening global ties of USA and Foreign Countries and plans to strengthen the political interests of India on global platform
25th July 2017, Transformation is evident not only in USA but also across the world while America is approaching their next Presidential Election in 2020. Robby Wells who is elected as the next presidential candidate for Democrat party has appointed Mr. Satish Reddy the Managing Director of World News Network, a citizen and a media baron from India as the International Ambassador of Foreign Relations recently.

Mr. Satish Reddy who has been instrumental in establishing a platform for entrepreneur across various sectors all over the world, had previously been responsible in organizing Paris Appreciation Award atop Eiffel Tower to encourage innovation and promote the rise of entrepreneurship. This successful initiative had brought together delegates from all over the world on one platform and offered new opportunities for global economy.

On the occasion of being appointed as the International Ambassador of Foreign Relations, Managing Director Mr. Satish Reddy added “Robby wells as a presidential candidate of Democrat party for 2020 Elections in USA would certainly create an affinity among Americans and Indian American population. Myself being appointed as the international ambassador for foreign relations i would certainly strive for encouraging both the countries in making financial alliances that will lead to potential economic growth in various industrial sectors. I also intend to promote Indian political interests by educating the candidate about the foreign policy of the country, thereby creating a better understanding about the Indian policies vis a vis the world. Mr .Robby Wells would be meeting political and administrative dignitaries around the world to promote sustainable development of nations along with peaceful cooperation through exchange of ideas over a cordial platform .I would be coordinating these activities along with Mr Wells and Team Riseup encouraging enterprise through sustainable development while protecting the environment and resolving political issues in a peaceful manner across the world. As international ambassador of a US presidential candidate I am hopeful it will only widen the scope of my current vision. We plan to organize summits which will include participation of political and administrative dignitaries along with industrial heads across the world in Europe, Asia, America , Africa, Middle East to strengthen global ties.”.

Mr. Robby Wells, the presidential candidate for 2020 elections added “We are pleased to announce that Mr. Satish Reddy has joined the ‘Rise Up – Robby Wells for President 2020’ campaign as the International Ambassador of Foreign Relations. Mr. Reddy brings a wealth of experience to the campaign as the founder and CEO of the World News Network. His worldwide contacts will help this campaign and ultimately the United States in building long lasting relationships and alliances.

ED registers money laundering case against Lalu Prasad, family

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New Delhi: In fresh trouble for RJD chief Lalu Prasad, the ED has registered a money laundering case against him and his family members in a railway hotels allotment corruption case dating back to the UPA tenure, officials said today.

The case has been registered under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The central probe agency has taken cognisance of a CBI FIR in this regard to initiate the move.

Earlier this month, the CBI had registered a criminal FIR and conducted multiple searches against the former Bihar chief minister and others.

The Enforcement Directorate will investigate the alleged “proceeds of crime” generated by the accused, purportedly through shell companies, officials said.

Prasad’s wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, and others will be probed by the agency under charges filed in the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED equivalent of a police FIR.

The casedates back to the time when Lalu was the railway minister in the UPA government.

Others named in the CBI FIR include Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar (both directors of Sujata Hotels), Delight Marketing company, now known as Lara Projects, and the then IRCTC managing director P K Goel.

The CBI FIR alleges that Prasad, as railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land in Patna through a ‘benami’ company owned by Sarla Gupta.

The FIR was registered on July 5 in connection with favours allegedly extended to Sujata Hotels in awarding a contract for the upkeep of the hotels in Ranchi and Puri and receiving premium land as ‘quid pro quo’.

The ED, under the PMLA, has powers to attach and confiscate tainted assets and it is expected that the agency will initiate such a move once it makes progress in the case.

(PTI)

Nitish Kumar sworn in as CM of Bihar, BJP’s Sushil Modi as his Deputy

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Patna: Within 24 hours of his resignation the head of the state, Nitish Kumar on Thursday was sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar at the Raj Bhawan in Patna. The oath was administered by Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.

This is Kumar’s sixth term as chief minister.

Kumar unexpectedly resigned on Wednesday, breaking the ‘mahagathbandhan’ after he walked out of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-Janata Dal (United) JD(U) alliance and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) receiving full support from Sushil Modi and other BJP leaders.

BJP leader Sushil Modi was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

The ostensible reason for Kumar to quit was his falling out with Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav, the son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad. Yadav is facing corruption charges but had refused to step down despite Kumar’s exhortations.

“In the circumstances that prevail in Bihar, it became difficult to run the grand alliance government,” Kumar said outside Raj Bhavan after submitting his resignation to Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi.

But in a series of fast paced developments that unfolded over the next few hours it became clear that Kumar was going to be the ultimate winner.

The JD(U)-BJP return to power after four years in the state. JD(U) had walked out of the NDA in July 2013 after Narendra Modi was nominated as head of the BJP’s campaign committee for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

However, the RJD appeared in no mood to give up without a fight, with Tejaswi Yadav saying he, too, would stake claim to form government, but failed when the governor invited Nitish to form Government.

(Agencies)

KJ George files defamation suit against Arnab Goswami, Times Now for ‘fake news’

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Bengaluru: Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George has now filed a criminal defamation case against journalist Arnab Goswamy and Times Now channel for airing “fake news.”

Arnab Goswamy was the Editor-in-Chief of the Times Now when the controversial report in connection with IAS officer D K Ravi’s death case was aired by the channel on March 23, 2015.

The then home minister George was targeted as the main accused in the news. The video of the same was also made viral on social media.

Recently CBI submitted its chargesheet in D K Ravi’s case and in the final report it was confirmed that it was a suicide.

The case came for hearing on July 26 at the 10th ACMM Court and it has been adjourned till August 19.

According to the complaint, the “sly and blatantly false innuendoes and statements” made by Goswami on Times Now Super Prime Time “were false, malicious, and was a defamatory campaign and propaganda to insinuate KJ George having a vested interest in DK Ravi’s death.”

An FIR was filed at the Jeevan Bhima Nagar Police Station, after which the complaint was submitted to the 10th Additional District Magistrate Court under sections 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, read along with sections 34 and 35 of the IPC.

“The well-respected IAS officer, DK Ravi, died on March 16, 2015. Just a day later, Arnab Goswami, without proper investigation, declared his death to be a murder and accused K J George, who was the then Home Minister, of being involved in DK Ravi’s death, of running a mafia and destroying evidence. This amounts to interfering in the judicial process and hence the complaint was filed today,” Minister George’s lawyer, Ajesh Kumar Shankar, was quoted as saying by a news portal.

(Agencies)

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