The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case against Karnataka minister D K Shivakumar and few others on the basis of an alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions case, officials said.
The agency has booked Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
The case has been filed based on a charge sheet (prosecution complaint) filed by the Income Tax Department against him early this year before a special court in Bengaluru on charges of alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions worth crores.
The agency is expected to summon the accused soon for recording their statements.
The IT Department has accused Shivakumar and his associate S K Sharma of transporting huge amount of unaccounted cash on a regular basis through ‘hawala’ channels with help of three other accused.
As per facts and analysis of evidences, it is clear that accused number 1 (Shivakumar) has set up an extensive network of persons and premises across Delhi and Bengaluru in order to transport and utilise unaccounted cash,” the department had said.
Other accused are Sachin Narayan, Anjaneya Hanumanthaiah and N Rajendra, it said.
According to the tax department, Narayan is a business partner of Shivakumar and Sharma is the proprietor of Sharma Transports, which runs a fleet of luxury and passenger buses and provides transport services to various concerns and individuals on rental basis.
Haumanthaiah is an employee at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, allegedly responsible for storing and handling unaccounted cash of Shivakumar in Delhi, it had said in the complaint.
Rajendra is a caretaker of Karnataka Bhavan and works for Sharma, besides looking after immovable properties of Shivakumar and Sharma, it said.
The IT department had alleged that all five accused conspired to evade tax. “The analysis of evidences shows that the Minister has set up an extensive network of persons and premises across Delhi and Bangalore in order to transport and utilise unaccounted cash,” it alleged.
He was allegedly involved in organised tax evasion as part of conspiracy by engaging others, the department said.
Unaccounted cash of approximately Rs 20 crore was found and seized during raids in New Delhi and Bengaluru last August which were directly relatable to Shivakumar, it had said.
Shivakumar has alleged that the IT department was targeting him and not letting him breathe but he would fight the case legally.
A special court had given Shivakumar a conditional bail in this case sometime back and the next date of hearing is September 20.
Shivakumar was instrumental in ensuring the safe stay of Gujarat Congress legislators in a Karnataka resort during Rajya Sabha polls last year amid allegations that the BJP was trying to poach them.

On Sunday, customs officials at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) arrested two people who were attempting to smuggle 1.3kg of gold valued at around Rs 41.31 lakhs, by hiding it in their sandals.

A passenger by the name of Samseer Ali, who was flying to Bengaluru from Dubai via Goa, had hidden a paste made of gold in the sole of his sandals. On reaching Goa, his accomplice Salman Faris boarded the flight and sat next to Ali. The two exchanged sandals on the flight. On reaching Bengaluru, the duo were caught by officials who noticed their suspicious behaviour.

When they were questioned, it was discovered that the two were smuggling the gold and Faris’ sandals were cut open to find 1.3kg of gold paste in them.

Earlier, on Saturday, another man flying in to Bengaluru from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Malaysian Airlines was caught by officials for trying to smuggle gold. The man, identified as 47-year-old Moideen Kunja Mohammed Shafi, had been wearing gold jewellery weighing 568 grams and roughly worth about Rs 17.91 lakh. He had hidden the gold under his clothing.

In yet another incident, officials seized two gold kadas weighing 333 grams and estimated to be valued at Rs 10.50 lakh from 44-year-old Vinod Kumar Parasmal Jain and 38-year-old Pinto Kumar on Thursday. The two were flying in from Dubai on Oman Air and had concealed the kada below their clothing.

In the last week alone, five people have been arrested by officials for attempting to smuggle gold. Over 2kg is the estimated weight of the seized gold, and it has been speculated that the total worth of the seized metal is nearly Rs 69.75 lakh.

PTI

Telangana Police on Tuesday said that they have arrested seven accused over the killing of a Dalit youth, who was hacked to death last week in a case of honour killing. The accused include a hired killer from Bihar.

The police revealed that T. Maruthi Rao, the main accused, struck the deal to kill his son-in-law Pranay Kumar for Rs 1 crore.

The accused include Asgar Ali and Mohammed Abul Bari, who were earlier arrested and acquitted in the murder of former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya.

Pranay Kumar, 23, was hacked to death on Friday as he was coming out of a hospital in Miryalguda town of Nalgonda district along with his wife Amrutha Varshini, with whom he had an inter-caste marriage.

Nalgonda Superintendent of Police A.V. Ranganath told reporters that they have cracked the sensational case, which evoked huge public outrage.

Amrutha and Pranay, who were in love since their school days, had married in January this year against the wishes of her father Maruthi Rao, a businessman who comes from an upper caste.

According to the police, Maruthi Rao hatched the plot to eliminate Pranay with the help of Asgar Ali, Bari and Abdul Karim. Maruthi Rao’s brother T. Shravan and driver S. Shiva are the other accused.

The police chief said the conspiracy was hatched in July. The deal was struck for Rs 1 crore though Asgar and Bari had demanded Rs 2.5 crore. Maruthi Rao had paid Rs 15 lakh advance.

“In the meantime, when Amrutha became pregnant, his father tried to pressurise her to abort because he was afraid that if Pranay is killed and a child is born to her daughter, it will lead to more problems. She, however, refused to abort,” the SP said.

The investigations revealed that the gang failed to execute the plot on couple of occasions.

As the couple was sensing danger to their lives, the police had suggested them to install CCTVs around their house. On August 17, they hosted a wedding reception, which further angered Maruthi Rao and he speeded up his efforts to get Pranay killed.

On September 14, when Pranay was coming out of a hospital along with his wife following a regular pregnancy check-up, an unidentified armed with axe attacked him from behind. Pranay died on the spot even as his wife ran into hospital screaming for help. The horrific images were captured in CCTV.

After questioning Maruthi Rao and others, the police identified the killer as Subhash Sharma, a native of Bihar, whom Bari had met in Rajahmundry Central Jail.

Sharma was taken into custody from Jagatsinhpur in Samastipur district of Bihar. A Samastipur police officer Paritish Kumar said Sharma was arrested by a team of Telangana Police along with the local police. He was produced in a court and handed over to the Telangana Police on transit remand.

Both Asgar Ali of Nalgonda and Bari of Hyderabad were arrested in 2003 for their alleged involvement in the killing of former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya. The police had claimed that they underwent terrorist training.

An anti-terror court in Gujarat had sentenced them along with seven others to life imprisonment in 2007. However, Gujarat High Court later acquitted them.

(IANS)

Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday hit out at the previous Congress-led UPA government for asking the banks to continue giving loans to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya.

“One thing is clear, even after Kingfisher Airlines was closed in 2011, loans were generously being given. The RBI was issuing letters,” Sitharaman said while interacting with feamle journalists here.

She was responding to a question related to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) shifting its stance on the change in the Lookout Notice (LOC) against Mallya from “detention” to “inform”.

Slamming the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for not acting against the liquor baron, Sitharaman questioned: “Why did the legal process not get going to get the money back? Is it not time for them (Congress) to come clean on it?”

The Defence Minister said that she cannot comment on the CBI changing its stance on the LOC against Mallya.

“I understand that there is a high court ruling from Kolkata on how he could or could not have been detained in India. There are several sides to it…and all of us will have to be on board before concluding whether the Lookout Notice was diluted or was it right to have it diluted,” she said.

Earlier, the CBI has clarified that the first Lookout Circular (LOC) against Mallya for his detention at airports in 2015 was changed, as there was “no sufficient ground” for his arrest.

The CBI officials later wrote to the Immigration Department to seek modification in the LOC as “Mallya was cooperating” in the probe and the agency was still collecting evidence from banks.

The first LOC against Mallya was issued on October 16, 2015. The second LOC was issued on November 24, 2015, the day Mallya returned from the United Kingdom.

The chief of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines escaped from India on March 2, 2016.

He is currently in London where a court finished hearing on India’s extradition case against him on Wednesday and is due to pronounce its verdict on December 10.

(IANS)

The Kerala Police on Wednesday started questioning Bishop Franco Mulakkal accused of raping a nun, as a top police officer said there is no restriction on his arrest.

Ahead of the questioning, top police officers — Inspector General Vijay Sakhre, Kottayam Superintendent Harishankar and his deputy K. Subhash held a meeting at the IG office in Kochi.

“We are under no pressure. We have conducted a detailed probe which was spread across five different states. There has been no directive that the bishop should not be arrested,” said Harishankar.

The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Jalandhar, accompanied by his counsel and a few priests, arrived in a car earlier to the Crime Branch office near here.

The police ensured that the media could not get close to him or even take his picture.

According to the police, Tripunithura located on the outskirts of Kochi, was chosen as the venue to avoid the protests underway in Kochi over the last 12 days.

The bishop on Tuesday got a relief from the Kerala High Court which agreed to hear his anticipatory bail plea on September 25.

The court also asked the state government to file an affidavit.

A Kerala nun has accused Mulakkal of repeatedly sexually abusing her between 2014 and 2016.

An FIR was registered against the bishop and a 114-page detailed statement was taken from the nun and other inmates of the convent.

Mulakkal was questioned by the police team led by Subhash in August at his Jalandhar office.

(IANS)

The principal and two other officials of a boarding school here in Uttarakhand were arrested on Tuesday after a Class 10 girl student accused them of suppressing the matter of her gang rape by senior students in August, police said.

Four students of the school have also been detained for questioning. The two other school officials arrested are the administrator and the hostel warden.

The victim, who lives with her elder sister in the girls hostel, has alleged that a school official tried to spike her drink with medicines to terminate her pregnancy after the rape.

The 16-year-old has said that on the eve of Independence Day, on the pretext of preparations for an August 15 event, the four senior boys sexually assaulted her.

The police said the matter came to light after the victim complained to her sister.

The school has been accused of trying to suppress the matter, first by requesting the girl not to take the matter ahead and then by trying to mix drugs into her drinks for abortion, an officer said.

The girl has since recorded her statement before a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in the presence of officials of the Child Welfare Department of the Uttarakhand government.

The girl has named four students of Class 12 who allegedly raped her.

(IANS)

A sub-inspector, Hiramani of a women’s police station in Rewari was on Monday suspended for delaying action in registering the 19-year-old Rewari gangrape survivor’s FIR, which could have aided the escape of the accused. Hiramani was pulled up for not registering the complaint and making the family rush from pillar to post.

According to reports, a departmental inquiry has been ordered against her. Hiramani’s suspension comes soon after Rewari Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Duggal was transferred. The Times of India reported that the sub-inspectors suspension was recommended by Duggal before his transfer.

Representational image. PTIRepresentational image. PTI
“The orders to suspend Hiramani from the Women’s Police Station, Rewari were issued on Monday. She has been suspended over allegations of delay in taking action on the complaint and negligence in handling the case,” a Rewari district police official said on Tuesday.

Rahul Sharma, who assumed charge as new district police chief of Rewari after Rajesh Duggal was moved out as SP, said arresting the absconding accused was a priority. “However, it (the case) doesn’t end with the arrest of the accused, but it ends with their conviction. So, securing evidence and ensuring they get convicted, through a fast track court, would be the next step,” he said.

PTI

Six days after the Rewari gang-rape, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his “silence is unacceptable” and added “India hangs its head in shame as another one of its daughters is brutally gang-raped”.

“India hangs its head in shame as another one of its daughters is brutally gang raped,” said Gandhi on Twitter.

“Prime Minister, your silence is unacceptable. Shame on a government that leaves India’s women unprotected and afraid and allows rapists to walk free,” he added.

Even though two of the three main accused in Rewari gang-rape case continued to evade arrest, a Haryana court had sent three arrested men, including one main accused, to five-day police custody.

One of the main accused, Nishu, as also Deendayal and Sanjeev Kumar, were earlier presented in a court in Kanina on Monday. They will be presented in court again on September 21.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Haryana Police on Sunday evening announced the arrest of Nishu. SIT chief Nazneen Bhasin had said that raids were on to nab two other main accused — soldier Pankaj and Manish.

The three main accused had gang-raped the 19-year-old woman on September 12. Deendayal is the owner of a tubewell room where the crime took place in Mahendragarh district. Sanjay Kumar is the medical practitioner who had treated the victim. Both did not inform police despite in the know of the crime.

(IANS)

Police on Tuesday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party chief Manoj Tiwari for illegally breaking the lock of a sealed house.

“An FIR has been registered against Manoj Tiwari on the complaint by Deputy Director MCD, North Zone in Gokulpuri police station,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Kumar Thakur told IANS.

A video footage of Tiwari breaking a sealed lock of a house in an unauthorised colony during his Sunday visit to Gokulpuri went viral on social media.

Tiwari was also seen protesting against municipal officials “pick and choose” system.

He has been booked under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 461 and 465 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act.

(IANS)

Bishop Franco Mulakkal who has been named in a sexual abuse case by a nun, on Tuesday moved the Kerala High Court seeking an anticipatory bail.

The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Jalandhar would be appearing before the police probe team on Wednesday.

The bail plea would be heard by Justice V. Raja Vijayaraghavan, later on Tuesday.

Franco has asked the court to see that he is not arrested until the anticipatory bail plea is finally disposed.

He said the complaint against him is false and a concocted one, meant to harass him.

A Kerala nun has accused Mulakkal of repeatedly sexually abusing her between 2014 and 2016.

An FIR was registered against the bishop and a 114-page detailed statement was taken from the nun and other inmates of the convent.

Franco was also questioned by the police in August at his Jalandhar office.

(IANS)