by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Diamond merchant Mehul Choksi
New Delhi : Diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, co-accused in the Rs 13,540 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, has said that “exaggerated” allegations by multiple investigating agencies has left him “completely defenceless” and that he feared for his safety to return home.
In a two-page March 16-dated letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Choksi denied he was a partner of Diamond R US, Stellar Diamond and Solar Exports.
These firms have been accused of conducting fraudulent transactions with Firestar International and Firestar Diamond International owned his nephew Nirav Modi, who is also an accused in the PNB fraud.
The companies were named by the CBI in an additional FIR filed on February 14. Choksi was summoned to appear before the CBI on March 16 for questioning in the case.
Reiterating that it was “impossible” for him to return to India, Choksi said his health condition was not conducive and that his passport remained suspended.
“Till date, the Regional Passport Office (in Mumbai) hasn’t communicated with me and my passport remains suspended. I have the deepest respect for your offices and assure you that I am not making any excuse, whatsoever, to travel to India.
“I reiterate that I am abroad and have earlier also responded to your notices. Surprisingly, the issues raised remain unaddressed, making my fear of safety rise to extreme levels.”
He questioned the CBI move to name him in another case related to the bank fraud “knowing fully well that I have no concern whatsoever” with Diamond R US, Stellar Diamond, Solar Exports.
“I am neither a partner (of these firms) nor do I have any kind of association with the three concerns.”
He said various actions by multiple agencies taken against him and “the manner in which the allegations have been exaggerated has left me completely defenceless”.
“In any case”, he said, “I am extremely held up in my business abroad and am working hard to resolves the issues it is facing due to the unnecessary closure of business in India due to untenable allegation.” Choksi had left the country along with his nephew and other family members in January this year.
He said doctors had advised him “not travel for a period of four to six months”.
“I am unable to travel to India due to my persisting health condition. In February 2018, a cardiac procedure was conducted and medical follow ups still remain and as the entire procedure could not be completed. The situation still remains,” he said.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Ranchi : A special CBI court here on Monday convicted RJD chief and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad in the fourth fodder scam case but acquitted another former Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra.
Judge Shivpal Singh delivered the judgment in case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from December 1995 to January 1996 from the Dumka treasury. The verdict, scheduled on March 15, was deferred four times.
The judge delivered the verdict alphabetically but Lalu Prasad — who was the Chief Minister of undivided Bihar when the multi-million-rupee fodder scam surfaced in 1990s — reached the court after it was delivered. Mishra was, however, present in the court.
Lalu Prasad was admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) on Saturday after he complained of constipation. His lawyer was present when the verdict came.
After the judgment, Lalu Prasad returned to RIMS for further treatment.
This is second case in which Mishra has been acquitted. Both Lalu Prasad and Mishra are facing five cases each in the fodder scam in Ranchi.
There were 31 accused in this case, of which 19 were convicted and 12 acquitted.
According to Lalu Prasad’s lawyer Prabhat Kumar, the CBI court will deliver the quantum of the sentence later this week.
When the FIR was first filed against Lalu Prasad in 1996, there were 49 accused, out of which 14 died during trial.
Besides Mishra, the acquitted include politicians like Dhruva Bhagat, R.K. Rana and Jagdish Sharma.
Reacting to the judgement, RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said: “There were four conspirators in the case and three including Mishra have been acquitted. This indicates that (Prime Minster) Narendra Modi is playing some game. We will appeal.”
Lalu Prasad was convicted in the first fodder scam case in 2013 and awarded five years in jail.
He was convicted in the second case on December 23, 2017 and awarded three-and-a-half years imprisonment.
The RJD chief was convicted in the third case on January 24 and awarded a five-year jail term.
The bulk of the cases were transferred to Ranchi after Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the trial in Junaid Khan lynching case as it sought response from the Central Bureau of Investigation and Haryana government on a plea seeking the transfer of investigation from the state police to the CBI.
Junaid Khan, 16, was lynched by a mob on board a Mathura-bound train in Haryana on June 22, 2017, following a row over seats which allegedly led to snowballed into religious slurs being hurled. The murder triggered nationwide outrage.
The bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar stayed the trial before the court in Haryana’s Faridabad and sought response on transfer of investigation to CBI on a plea by Junaid Khan’s father Jalaluddin.
Jalaluddin has moved the top court challenging November 27, 2017 Punjab and Haryana High Court order rejecting his plea for handing over the investigation to CBI.
Holding that there was no substance in the plea to indicate that the investigation by the state police was tainted or shoddy, the High Court had said that there appeared no deliberate attempt to derail the investigation.
It had declined to exercise its extraordinary powers, saying that the case did not have any national or international ramifications.
Junaid and his cousins Hasim Moin and Shakir Moin were on the EMU train going from Ghaziabad to Mathura after Eid shopping on June 22.
The accused, along with around a dozen others, boarded at Okhla and ordered Junaid and his brothers to give them their seats.
When they refused, the three were brutally beaten up, stabbed and dumped at Asaoti railway station in Palwal district.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the CBI and the ED for not investigating all cases relating to 2G spectrum allocation and directed them to complete it within six months.
A bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Naveen Sinha slammed the agencies for not completing their probe in all 2G spectrum cases and related cases arising out of it, including the Aircel-Maxis deal, saying “you can’t keep the people of this country in the dark”.
“The issue is serious for this country. People want to know why investigation has not been completed… We are worried about this case, we are very unhappy,” said the bench observing that the investigation has been going on for long time.
The judges added: “We direct the competent investigating agencies to complete the investigation within six months in all the cases and aspects concerned with 2G spectrum case. No stone should be left unturned.”
The apex court while slamming probe agencies for delay in investigation warned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that further delay will attract contempt of court against the officials.
“It is shocking. All matters should see end of the day. The country can’t be kept in darkness like this. It is a very unfortunate state of affair that investigation in all the cases pointed by the CAG has not been completed so far,” said the bench.
Saying that investigation should come to an end, the bench said it is “not concerned about the personalities involved” in the case.
The bench asked the Centre to file a report on the status of investigation into the 2G and other related cases in two weeks.
The court also discharged senior advocate Anand Grover, who was appointed the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) by the apex court in the 2G case. The bench also dismissed a contempt petition filed by an NGO against the Centre for appointing Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta the SPP replacing Grover.
The court said it was open for the central government to change the SPP to represent the CBI and the ED after the trial gets over.
On December 21 last year, the trial court had acquitted DMK leaders Kanimozhi and A. Raja and 15 other accused in the 2G court for lack of evidence.
The court had also dropped charges against former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and others accused in the Aircel-Maxis case.
Now, the pending investigation includes one by the CBI into the role of Malaysian accused T. Ananda Krishnan and Ralph Marshall in the Aircel-Maxis deal, and by CBI regarding FIPB approval.
The ED is also looking into the money laundering aspects of the Aircel-Maxis deal which includes the probe into Karti Chidambaram’s role in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Mumbai : Twenty-five years after his escape, the CBI has arrested absconder Farookh Takla, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and a close aide of fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, from Dubai, official sources said on Thursday.
He was brought to Mumbai earlier on Thursday and whisked off to the CBI offices for questioning. He will be produced before a Special TADA Court later in the day for remand.
Takla, against whom the Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice in 1995 was finally tracked to Dubai where he was believed to be holed up, and later extradited to India to face the law.
At least 257 people were killed, over 700 injured and properties worth crores destroyed in the March 12, 1993, blasts.
Takla’s arrest comes just two days after wellknown criminal lawyer Shyam Keswani reiterated in Thane that Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar was reportedly willing to return to India and face trial, but the Indian government had rejected some of his preconditions.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy on Thursday congratulated National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for the success in getting Takla back to face trial.
“We need to compliment NSA Doval for Farooq Takla coming in the CBI kitty. Dawood not far off?” Swamy tweeted.
—IANS
