Tag: Prevention of Money Laundering Act

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Delhi court places ex-Reliance Group execs in ED custody for five days

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has placed former senior executives of the Reliance Anil Ambani Group (RAAG), Amitabh Jhunjhunwala and Amit Bapna, in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for five days as part of an investigation into a money laundering case linked to alleged bank loan fraud. The 24-page ruling noted that the ED uncovered allegations that loan funds were misappropriated and funneled to shell companies controlled by the group. The ruling also mentioned that emails recovered during the inquiry have “crystalized” the involvement of both individuals in the diversion of substantial loan amounts. The pair were arrested…

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ED Raids Seven Properties Linked to Kolkata’s Merlin Group

KOLKATA | NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at the premises of Kolkata-based real estate firm Merlin Group and its promoters on Wednesday as part of a money laundering inquiry, officials confirmed. Approximately seven locations connected to the company and its promoters, Sushil Mohta and Saket Mohta, were raided under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A response from Merlin Group regarding the searches is still pending. The promoters and the company are under scrutiny by the federal agency for allegedly fabricating a “false” chain of title with “forged” documents, which has raised land grabbing allegations. This…

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ED Seizes ₹270 Crore in Assets from Ex-Lodha Director Rajendra

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Monday the attachment of land parcels and other immovable assets exceeding Rs 270 crore as part of its money laundering probe against Rajendra Lodha, former director of Lodha Developers, a realty firm based in Maharashtra. A provisional order was issued on March 26 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which values the properties at Rs 271.48 crore, according to the ED’s statement. The attached assets include lands situated in the Panvel and Shahapur talukas of Maharashtra. Lodha was arrested by the ED in February and is currently in judicial custody.…

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Bombay HC: Banks Can’t Claim Priority on PMLA-Attached Properties

NAGPUR: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has delivered a landmark ruling affecting financial institutions and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court determined that banks’ recovery laws cannot supersede the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), highlighting the government’s priority action against ‘proceeds of crime’. A division bench consisting of Justices Mukulika Jawalkar and Nandesh Deshpande annulled an order from the appellate tribunal that permitted banks, including HDFC Bank and Punjab National Bank, to enforce secured interests over properties seized by the ED in a money laundering case involving alleged misconduct in coal block allocation. The court declared…

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ED Raids Mantri Developers’ Offices and Homes in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted search operations on Monday at the residential and office premises of Mantri Developers Private Limited and its directors in Bengaluru, relating to a money laundering investigation, officials reported. The searches are being executed under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The operation began around 8 AM, led by a team from the ED’s Delhi office, as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities tied to the company. According to officials, multiple ED teams simultaneously searched various residential and office locations associated with the real estate firm and its…

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ED Seizes ₹313.12 Crore in Ansal Group Money Laundering Case

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced the attachment of immovable properties valued at ₹313.12 crore as part of its ongoing probe into Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Ltd (APIL) and its promoters. This action stems from allegations of financial misappropriation and fraudulent diversion of funds collected from homebuyers. These properties include residential land parcels totaling 9.08 hectares, situated in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and are registered under the names of companies affiliated with APIL. The ED’s Lucknow zonal office executed the attachment under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The investigation was prompted by 278 FIRs lodged…

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ED Charges Five with Laundering ₹36.66 Crore from Sand Mining

PATNA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has lodged a prosecution complaint in the Special PMLA Court in Patna against Arun Yadav, Kiran Devi, Rajesh Kumar Ranjan, and Dipu Kumar, as well as their company, Kiran Durga Contractors Pvt Ltd, for money laundering. This case centers around substantial illegal funds generated primarily through unauthorized sand mining in Bihar, alongside corruption and related criminal activities. The investigation commenced following multiple FIRs filed by Bihar Police and the Special Vigilance Unit alleging various offenses, including cheating, extortion, illegal sand mining, and possession of assets disproportionate to their lawful income. During the inquiry, the ED…

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ED Seizes ₹14 Crore in Sai Surya Developers Fraud Case

HYDERABAD: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Hyderabad has provisionally attached assets worth ₹14 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. This action is part of an investigation into Sai Surya Developers and others, who are accused of defrauding numerous depositors by falsely claiming to sell plots in various real estate projects. The assets seized include land owned by Sai Surya Developers. The ED commenced its investigation based on multiple FIRs filed by the Telangana police against Sathish Chandra Gupta, the proprietor of Sai Surya Developers, among others. According to the police’s chargesheet, Gupta allegedly received payments from several victims…

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ED Freezes ₹82 Crore in Properties Linked to Ansal Hub-83 Fraud

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized immovable properties valued at Rs 82 crore in relation to an alleged extensive real estate scam linked to the commercial project “Ansal Hub-83” in Sector-83, Gurugram. This project encompasses a land area of 19 Kanal 15 Marla (approximately 2.47 acres) and features 147 commercial shops, 137 office spaces, and two restaurant units, as stated by the ED on Thursday. These properties were attached by the ED’s Gurugram zonal office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The investigation began following an FIR filed by Haryana Police in June 2023 against…

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ED Files Supplementary Complaint Against Unnati Fortune in PMLA Case

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow zonal office of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a supplementary prosecution complaint under Sections 44 and 45, alongside Sections 3, 4, and 70 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against Unnati Fortune Holdings Ltd (UFHL) and its promoters and directors in the court of the Special Judge for Anti-Corruption, CBI, Ghaziabad. The ED initiated its investigation based on multiple FIRs filed by the UP Police concerning UFHL and its key promoter, Anil Mithas, along with Madhu Mithas and other officials. The investigation revealed that Anil Mithas allegedly diverted around Rs 126 crore…