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NDTV
22 minutes ago
- NDTV
Probe Agency Restitutes Rs 380-Crore Assets In Bank 'Fraud' Involving Ex-MLA
New Delhi: Attached assets worth Rs 380 crore have been restored to a designated Maharashtra government authority for distribution to the about 5 lakh "duped" depositors of a cooperative bank, controlled by a former MLA, as part of a money laundering proceeding, the Enforcement Directorate said on Wednesday. The case pertains to the Karnala Nagari Sahakari Bank Ltd. in Panvel where it was alleged that its erstwhile chairman, Vivekanand Shankar Patil, in connivance with other officials of the bank, "cheated" the lender and "siphoned off" the funds for private investments. Patil, a four-time MLA of the Shetkari Kamgar Paksha Party, was arrested by the ED in June 2021. The money laundering case of the ED stems from a February 2020 FIR filed by the Pune Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW). The police alleged in its chargesheet that the then chairman Patil and other officials of the bank prepared 63 "bogus" loan accounts using "forged" documents without following the RBI guidelines and standard banking norms, and "siphoned off" Rs 560 crore for personal gains, the federal probe agency said in a statement. The ED said its probe found that funds were "diverted" to various entities "controlled" by Patil and his relatives. "He (Patil) purchased various properties and assets using the funds siphoned off from the bank and these proceeds of crime were utilised for the purchase of immovable properties at different locations in Raigad district of Maharashtra," it said. These assets, worth Rs 386 crore, were attached by the ED under two provisional orders issued in 2021 and 2023. The ED also filed a chargesheet in August 2021 before a special PMLA court in Mumbai. The ED said the liquidator appointed by the RBI for the bank filed an application, under section 8(8) of the PMLA, before the court seeking restitution of assets. The ED gave its consent, the agency said. The court issued an order on July 22 directing the release of the property -- Karnala Sports Academy at Panvel -- to the liquidator and to put it up for auction, the ED said. The court also ordered the Competent Authority (Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors) to "realise" the land at Posari, Raigad by auction for distribution amongst the depositors. "The bank had more than 5 lakh depositors having total deposits of Rs 553 crore, and they lost their hard-earned money. "In the larger interest of depositors and currently ongoing restitution efforts, ED took steps to expedite the process resulting in the restitution," the agency said. The PMLA provides for the process of restitution even before completion of the court trial in order to provide succour to the victims of frauds like bank loans and Ponzi scheme cheating. The fraud came to light after an audit was done at the instance of the Reserve Bank of India during 2019-20, when it was found that Patil was siphoning off funds from the bank through 67 "fictitious" loan accounts. The funds were sent to the loan accounts of entities/firms/trusts owned or controlled by Patil including Karnala Charitable Trust, Karnala Sports Academy and Karnala Mahila Readymade Garments Cooperative Society Limited, the agency had claimed in a statement issued in October 2023.
NDTV
22 minutes ago
- NDTV
Delhi High Court Questions Centres Power To Order Cuts In Udaipur Files Movie
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought to know from the Centre whether it had the authority to pass the order directing six cuts in the film 'Udaipur Files - Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder' while exercising its revisional powers. "You have to exercise the powers within the four corners of the statute. You can't go beyond that," a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said. The court posed the question on being informed that the Centre, while exercising its revisional powers under the Cinematograph Act, had suggested six cuts to the producers of the movie in addition to a disclaimer. It was also informed that though the film has been recertified, it has not been issued to the producers because the matter is pending in the high court. The petitioner's counsel contended before the court that the central government had exercised its revisional powers in a manner that contravenes the statutory scheme of the Cinematograph Act. "The nature of order you passed, you said, effect six cuts, etc, whether this authority is available under the statute? "In the earlier round, this court has noticed the change of the provision of Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act, as it existed then and now," the bench asked Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, who was representing the Centre and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The court was hearing a plea by Mohammed Javed, one of the accused in the tailor Kanhaiya Lal murder case, objecting to the release of the film on the ground that it would prejudice his case during the trial. "The (July 10) order was to decide the revision petition under Section 6. There was no order to the producer or to the board (to make cuts). "See the earlier order, the court notices the changes in law. Earlier and existing provisions and the changes were noticed. It was noticed clearly what kind of orders can be passed under Section 6... It was a statutory remedy to which the petitioners were relegated. You have to exercise the powers within the four corners of the statute. You can't go beyond that," the bench said. Section 6 of the Act grants the central government revisional powers over film certification. Sharma submitted that the film has undergone a two-step filter, first by the censor board, which suggested 55 cuts, and second by the committee, which further asked for six cuts, making a total of 61 cuts. "There is a body of experts and so it happens in this case that it has undergone a two-stage filter test -- first by the board which suggested 55 cuts. All those cuts were those which had purported generic overtones," he said. Senior advocate Maneka Guruswamy, representing Javed, submitted that till now six witnesses have been examined in the case and 160 witnesses remain. "I was 19 years old when I was arrested. I am Accused No. 8 in the trial. I was released on bail by the Rajasthan High Court because there was no connection between me and the allegations. I am a citizen of this country and am entitled to a fair trial. "My right to a fair trial is jeopardised by the release of the film. This is the first proposition. The promise of Article 21 of the Constitution, right to fair trial, is an essential component of what it means to be a citizen in this country," she argued. The senior counsel said the film producer has expressly said that the film is based on the case chargesheet and even the dialogues have been lifted directly from the chargesheet. She contended that the central government has exercised its revisional powers in a manner that contravenes the statutory scheme of the Cinematograph Act. Referring to the relevant law, Guruswamy said there are three kinds of revisional powers that can be exercised by the Centre -- the government can say that the film cannot be broadcast; they can change the certification or they can suspend it. "What it cannot do is what it has done here, which is to suggest cuts, remove dialogues, add disclaimers, modify disclaimers like the sensor board. It cannot do," she contended. While Guruswamy concluded her arguments, the submissions of Sharma remained inconclusive and the court would continue the proceedings on August 1. Besides Javed's plea, another petition has been filed by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani. It could not be heard due to the non-availability of the counsel. Two petitions related to the movie came before the high court following a Supreme Court direction. The top court directed the petitioners to move the high court against the Centre's revisional order of giving nod for the film's release. The producers of the film had moved the top court after a high court bench previously stayed the film's release. The apex court on July 25 said the film-makers' appeal against the high court order staying the film's release was infructuous as they had accepted the July 21 Centre nod for the film's release, subject to six cuts in its scenes and modifications in the disclaimer. Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal was murdered in June 2022 allegedly by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous. The assailants later released a video claiming the murder was in reaction to the tailor allegedly sharing a social media post in support of former BJP member Nupur Sharma following her controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed. The case was probed by the NIA and the accused were booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, besides provisions under the IPC. The trial is pending before the special NIA court in Jaipur.
NDTV
23 minutes ago
- NDTV
Gang Used LED-Lit Pigeons At Night To Spread Rumours Of Drone Sightings
Two persons were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly using pigeons strapped with red and green lights to spread false rumours of drone sightings in the district, a senior official said. Panic had gripped several villages across western Uttar Pradesh in recent days due to reports of drone sightings and many residents were keeping night vigil out of fear for their safety, according to police. Two individuals, identified as Shoeb and Sakib, were arrested after the police investigated complaints from villagers about mysterious flying objects with lights in the night sky that they suspected to be drones, they said. "During the investigation, the police recovered two pigeons, a cage, and red and green LED lights from the accused. They confessed to tying the lights to the pigeons' legs and releasing them at night so that the people assumed that they were seeing drones from a distance," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjay Kumar said. The gang was operating in Jatwara village under Kakroli police station limits, the SSP said. An FIR has been lodged against them under the relevant section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). SSP Kumar announced a reward of Rs 20,000 for the police team involved in cracking the case.
