Latest news with #Kollam-based
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Kerala HC grants anticipatory bail to ED officer in bribery case
The Kerala High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to a senior officer of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Shekar Kumar, who was arrayed as an accused in a bribery case registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau ( VACB)-Kerala. The High Court had reserved its verdict on July 3 in the plea of Kumar after hearing the counsel for the ED, who pointed out that he has been transferred to Shillong, but he (ED Officer) is ready to cooperate with the investigation. Following this, the court announced that the interim protection that he has got will continue till the final orders are out, and the orders came on Thursday, giving him relief. Kumar is the first accused in a high-profile corruption case registered by VACB in May. The case has already seen the arrest of three individuals -- Chartered Accountant Ranjith Warrier, alleged middleman Wilson, and Mukesh Jain, who hails from Rajasthan but is long settled in Kochi. The case originated from a complaint by a Kollam-based businessman engaged in cashew exports to Africa. He reportedly suffered heavy losses during the Covid-19 pandemic after being defrauded by a foreign client. During an ED investigation into the matter, the businessman was issued a summons. Around this time, Wilson allegedly approached the businessman, claiming he had influential contacts in the ED and could help "settle" the case. He demanded Rs 2 crore to be paid in four instalments, in return for halting the ED inquiry. When the businessman received a second ED summons shortly thereafter, as Wilson had predicted, he grew suspicious and alerted the VACB. Following a plan to establish evidence, the businessman handed over Rs 2 lakh in cash and made a bank transfer, allowing the VACB to trace the money. Wilson was caught red-handed while accepting the cash. His arrest led to the subsequent detention of Jain and Warrier. All three are now out on bail, and Kumar has also secured relief from the court.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
Bribery case: Kerala HC extends order restraining ED officer's arrest
Kochi: High court has reserved its order on the anticipatory bail petition filed by Sekhar Kumar, an assistant director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Kochi, in connection with an alleged bribery case. The bench of Justice A Badharudeen on Thursday extended the interim order restraining Kumar's arrest until the pronouncement of the final order. The case arises from a complaint filed by Aneesh Babu, a Kollam-based cashew trader, who alleged that ED officials demanded a bribe to halt an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The PMLA proceedings were initiated following a police case registered against Aneesh for allegedly cheating local traders by accepting advance payments for imported cashew nuts and failing to deliver the goods. In his complaint, Aneesh alleged that two middlemen, Wilson Varghese and Mukesh Kumar, approached him on behalf of the ED officer and demanded Rs 2 crore to stop the ED probe. The vigilance department arrested both middlemen, who, during interrogation, allegedly named Sekhar Kumar, leading to his arraignment as the first accused in the case. Kumar, in his plea, has denied any involvement and contended that there is no material linking him to the arrested individuals. He further claimed that he has been falsely implicated with ulterior motives and that the case is driven by vexatious intent.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- The Hindu
Kerala HC extends interim order restraining arrest of ED officer
The Kerala High Court on Thursday extended an interim order issued by it restraining the arrest of Sekhar Kumar, an Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in connection with a case relating to the alleged demand of ₹2 crore as bribe from a Kollam-based cashew businessman to extricate him from a money-laundering case, until the pronouncement of the final order. Mr. Kumar had filed an anticipatory bail petition before the court, claiming his innocence and alleging that he was falsely implicated in the case with ulterior motives. He contended that the businessman somehow wanted to wriggle out of the probe that had been initiated against him by the ED for allegedly siphoning off ₹24 lakh and that the Vigilance case against him was part of a bid by the businessman to escape legal action.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Alleged phone tapping by P.V. Anwar: HC directs police to consider petition
The Kerala High Court has directed the police to consider a petition filed by an entrepreneur in connection with the alleged tapping of phones of IPS officers and others. Kollam-based entrepreneur Murugesh Narendran had earlier approached the police in the wake of alleged claims by former MLA P.V. Anvar that he had tapped their phones. Citing that such tapping was a violation of their privacy and rights, he approached the court seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) 'as the police had not conducted a probe into his complaint.' While directing the police to consider the petition, the High Court asked whether Mr. Anvar ran a parallel system of governance. The High Court had in December 2024 issued notice to the State government and Mr. Anvar on a writ petition seeking a CBI probe into the alleged illegal tapping of phones by Mr Anvar. Mr Narendran had pointed out that the MLA had publicly admitted to having intercepted telephone conversations of individuals, including police officials, politicians and the petitioner.
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Loss of cargo due to sinking of container ship MSC Elsa 3: Kerala HC orders conditional arrest MSC Polo 2 anchored in Vizhinjam port
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday ordered the conditional arrest of a Liberian-flag ship named MSC Polo 2 anchored in the Vizhinjam international seaport in connection with the sinking of container ship MSC Elsa 3 off the Kerala coast on May 25 on an admiralty suit filed by a cashew importer firm whose consignment was on board the sunken ship. The arrest order came on a petition seeking compensation of ₹73.49 lakh from Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) for the loss of the consignment, filed by Praveena V.P., managing director of Kollam-based Sans Cashew India Private Limited. Her allegation was that the vessel sank due to its mechanical, technical defects/failure, owing to lack of proper care, and (also) the 'unseaworthiness' of the vessel, or due to the improper stowage of containers in the vessel due to incompetence of the crew. Beyond jurisdiction The counsel for the shipping firm contended that the vessel is beyond 14 nautical miles from the port and hence was beyond the court's jurisdiction. The court said that it is satisfied that the petitioner has made out an arguable maritime claim, warranting a conditional order of arrest of the vessel. No harm will be caused to the shipping firm if a conditional arrest is ordered, till furnishing of security by the shipping firm. In its order, the court said that the vessel is ordered to be arrested (by Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd – the second respondent in the case) until the first respondent MSC deposited the ₹73.49 lakh in the court, or until security for the amount is furnished. The warrant of arrest of the vessel would be withdrawn and the conditional order of arrest automatically vacated once the amount is deposited or security is furnished by the firm. The matter has been posted for hearing on June 23.
