Latest news with #Offender
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Court grants time to arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to avail legal remedy against order declaring him fugitive
Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Saturday granted time to Arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to exhaust statutory legal remedy against the order declaring him a fugitive economic offender . Bhandari was declared a fugitive economic offender on July 5. The second step is the confiscation of his properties. Special judge Sanjay Jindal granted time to Bhandari's counsel till August 2. Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing on the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s plea seeking confiscation of Sanjay Bhandari's properties. Bhandari's counsel sought time to challenge the order declaring Bhandari a fugitive economic offender. Live Events Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain, along with Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Naveen Kumar Matta and Mohd Faizan, appeared for the ED. It was submitted that notices have already been served on the application. Three noticees have already filed their reply. Zoheb Hosain mentioned before the court that there is a list which includes properties to be included in India, Dubai, and the UK, benami property in Noida and Gurugram, a series of bank accounts in his and his wife's name, jewellery and cash, immovable property in India in Vasant Vihar, Panchsheel shopping complex, and property in Shahpur Jat. On the other hand, counsel for Bhandari sought time on the ground that there is a 30-day time limit to challenge the order before the high court. He prayed to adjourn the time he exhausted his legal remedy against the order. It was also submitted by the counsel that others have an opportunity to make their submissions on the application. "I have a statutory remedy. Let me exhaust my statutory remedy. The properties mentioned are already attached by the ED," the counsel said. Zoheb Hossain opposed the submissions by submitting that no adjournment can be sought on the ground of filing an appeal. He said that Bandari's Counsel cannot make submissions on behalf of other notices. On July 5, a Delhi special court declared UK-based arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari a fugitive Economic Offender under the Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEO) Act, in connection with an income tax case involving undisclosed foreign assets. Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal passed the order following a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has alleged that Bhandari had deliberately evaded Indian legal proceedings and possessed foreign assets exceeding Rs 100 crore. The agency emphasised that the UK court's refusal to extradite Bhandari had no bearing on the current proceedings, which are independent and governed by Indian law. Bhandari, however, contested the ED's plea, arguing that his residence in the UK is lawful and backed by a ruling from the London High Court, which denied his extradition, citing concerns over his safety in Tihar jail. His counsel, senior advocate Maninder Singh, claimed the ED's application was vague, lacked jurisdiction, and failed to meet the legal threshold under the FEO Act. Singh had further argued that the monetary value of the alleged offence did not exceed Rs 100 crore, referencing a 2020 submission by the Income Tax Department. He also pointed out that the UK High Court had discharged Bhandari, and no fresh warrants were pending against him. The UK High Court had earlier blocked Bhandari's extradition on human rights grounds, citing risks of extortion and violence in Indian custody. The Indian government's subsequent attempt to challenge the decision in Britain's Supreme Court was also rejected. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
News18
08-06-2025
- News18
Man arrested 11 years after robbery, abduction case in Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 8 (PTI) A man absconding for over 10 years after he allegedly carried out a kidnapping and robbery in central Delhi's Jhandewalan area was arrested, an official said on Sunday. Rakesh (37), a resident of Kishan Ganj, Delhi, was wanted in a 2014 case where he and his accomplices allegedly kidnapped the driver of a vehicle transporting a consignment of pan masala and at gunpoint and looted him. Six to seven men were involved in the loot that was carried out on the night of December 26, 2014. They later dumped him near Dhaula Kuan after robbing him of his belongings and fleeing with the vehicle and consignment. He was declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) by the court in 2015 after evading arrest for over a year. Four of the accused were arrested but Rakesh remained at large. Acting on tip-off, a crime branch team apprehended him from Chaman Vihar in Loni. Police said Rakesh had also been involved in two other robbery cases — one each in 2022 and 2023 — and had been frequently changing his hideouts to evade capture. PTI BM SKY SKY
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Midland County sex offender arrests: what we know about the 8 men taken into custody
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Midland County Sheriff's Office arrested eight individuals during a sex offender compliance operation conducted on Thursday, May 22, 2025, with support from the Texas Department of Public Safety. The operation was carried out by the Sheriff's Criminal Investigations and Patrol Divisions, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety's Criminal Investigations Division. It focused on locating and holding accountable sex offenders who failed to meet their legal obligations. Each of the individuals arrested was charged with Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Duty to Register, a felony offense under Texas Penal Code §62.102. This charge applies when a person who is legally required to register as a sex offender does not keep their registration current, for example, by failing to report changes in address, employment, or vehicle information. The level of the offense can vary depending on the person's underlying conviction and prior registration history. The following individuals were taken into custody: Gilbert EspinozaDOB: 8/28/1967Original Offenses:– Aggravated Sexual Assault (Victim age 19)– Aggravated Kidnapping involving a victim under 17Registration: Lifetime, Quarterly verification Leonard JacksonDOB: 9/7/1964Original Offense:– Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child (Victim age 13)Registration: Lifetime | Annual verification Nealy MitchellDOB: 7/30/1965Original Offenses:– Sexual Assault of a Child (Victim age 16)– Indecency with a Child by Contact (Victim age 7)Registration: Lifetime, Quarterly verification Nathaniel MontoyaDOB: 6/25/1973At the time of publication, Montoya's information was not publicly available in the Texas sex offender registry. John SmithDOB: 9/23/1956Original Offenses:– Multiple counts of Sexual Assault of a Child (Victim age 9)– Sexual Assault of a Child under 16 (Victim age 13)Registration: Lifetime, Quarterly verification David WebbDOB: 7/21/1955Original Offense:– Sexual Assault (Victim age 14)Registration: Lifetime, Annual verification Brian WeeksDOB: 4/18/1973Original Offense:– Sodomy of a Minor Under 12 (Victim age 12)Registration: Lifetime, Annual verification Michael WilliamsonDOB: 7/14/1989Original Offense:– Lewd or Indecent Acts Toward a Child Under 16 (Victim age 14)Jurisdiction: OklahomaRegistration: Lifetime, Annual verification The Midland County Sheriff's Office emphasized the role of public cooperation and Crime Stoppers in ensuring safety and accountability. 'Sheriff Criner remains committed to protecting the citizens of Midland County by arresting those who prey on our community,' the department said in a statement. 'Compliance operations like these send a clear message: failure to register will not be ignored.' Authorities say additional compliance checks may be conducted in the future as part of ongoing public safety efforts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
Convicted Elizabeth Smart kidnapper flashes huge smile in new mugshot for Utah's sex offender registry
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways One of Elizabeth Smart's convicted kidnappers, Wanda Barzee, was seen in a new mugshot on Utah's Sex Offender Registry, smiling from ear to ear. In Utah, sex offenders are required to register twice a year, once on their birthday and then six months later to the date, according to Utah law. Nearly 20 years after her conviction for holding Smart captive for nine months, Barzee, 79, was arrested on May 1 after she allegedly violated sex offender restrictions. She was arrested at her Salt Lake City, Utah, home on Thursday after she allegedly visited at least two parks, which she is prohibited from doing as a registered sex offender, according to reports. Wanda Barzee, One Of Elizabeth Smart's Captors, Arrested On Alleged Sex Offender Violation Under Utah law , sex offenders are forbidden from entering certain "protected areas" where children are likely to be present, which include public parks, schools, and playgrounds. Read On The Fox News App During her arrest, Barzee said "she was commanded to by the Lord" to go to Liberty Park and that she liked to go there to "sit on benches and feed ducks," according to Fox 13 Salt Lake City . The outlet reported that Barzee also admitted that God had "commended" her to go to Sugar House Park as well. Barzee is now required to do weekly check-ins after her arrest for allegedly visiting parks in Salt Lake City, which she is restricted from doing due to her status as a registered sex offender. Child Abduction Survivor Elizabeth Smart Warns Of 'Terrifying Territory' For Today's Kids Elizabeth Smart at her home in Wasatch County, Utah on March 8, 2023. Twenty years ago she was freed from a nine-month long kidnapping. In 2002, Barzee and her husband, Brian David Mitchell, kidnapped then-14-year-old Smart at knifepoint and held her captive for nine months. Mitchell forced Smart into a polygamous "marriage" and raped her almost daily. Smart was rescued when a couple recognized her as she was walking through Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City, with Barzee and Mitchell. Initially, out of fear, Smart denied her identity when questioned by police, but later admitted that she was the missing teen. Barzee and Mitchell were then arrested. It was "America's Most Wanted," which aired an episode about Smart's 2002 abduction, that led to her being recognized by a couple, who spotted her walking with her captors. After several hearings, Barzee was sentenced to 15 years in prison for aggravated kidnapping. She received the sentence after cooperating with the FBI and the state of Utah to convict Mitchell, who was sentenced to life in prison. Smart later testified how she was drugged, tied to a tree and raped as often as four times a day, People Magazine reported. If she dared to cry for help, her family would be murdered, Mitchell warned her. During her ordeal, Smart insisted she never gave up hope that one day she would be found. Kidnapping Survivor Elizabeth Smart On Empowering Kids From Predators: 'Don't Be Afraid To Practice Screaming' "Coming back and being with my family was everything I dreamed of while I was being held kidnapped," she previously told Fox News Digital. "All I wanted was to make it home, feel love again, feel safe again. I wanted to gain the courage, as cliché as it sounds, to follow my dreams. These weren't extravagant dreams. I wanted to go to high school, get my driver's license, go to prom, go on a first date, go to college, get married, have a family." In 2018, Barzee was released from prison and placed under five years of federal supervision in addition to being registered as a sex offender. She was ordered not to contact Smart's family. Sex offenders cannot be within 1,000 feet of a victim's residence if a victim-requested restriction is in place, according to the Utah Legislature. Smart is a married mother of three, but her story is far from over. She is a child safety activist who regularly speaks on behalf of missing and exploited children. She's also partnering with "America's Most Wanted" to serve as a guest speaker for an episode of "America's Most Wanted: Missing Persons." Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco and Rachel Wolf contributed to this report. Original article source: Convicted Elizabeth Smart kidnapper flashes huge smile in new mugshot for Utah's sex offender registry
