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Conduct checks on STPs like ED raids: Munde tells pollution control body
Addressing a joint meeting with industrialists and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board officials in Nashik, Munde also said industries must grow, but environmental protection has to be prioritised. "Just like the ED conducts raids, the Pollution Control Board must raid STP plants. Check whether the water is being treated properly before being discharged into rivers," Munde said. Addressing the growing concerns of pollution and the role of industry in safeguarding the environment, she said, "We are now facing a global crisis. Industries must grow, but environmental protection must be prioritised. Reducing pollution in zones like the red category is critical." She also highlighted the need for efficient water use and treatment. "Of the total water we use, only 48 per cent is treated, while 52 per cent is wasted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched programmes like Namami Gange after recognising this challenge," Munde said. She further said that while industries expect all necessary support to operate, they also carry a responsibility. "The responsibility initially lies with the industries, and our department steps in after pollution occurs. We will follow up with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavia on the need for pollution control projects, though some of the burden must be borne by the industries themselves. The environment department does not have its own independent funding," she pointed out. Recalling her previous tenure as a minister during the Kumbh Mela, Munde noted the importance of clean water for religious events. "I was a minister during the last Kumbh Mela, and now I am again, as another Kumbh Mela approaches. Pilgrims take holy dips, and the water must be clean where saints and devotees bathe. We must raise funds for the environment just as CSR funds are used for temples and education," she said. She also said sustainable and permanent solutions for cleanliness must be put in place ahead of the event.
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Hindustan Times
2 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Robert Vadra shifted blame to deceased persons: ED charge sheet
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed in its charge sheet filed last month that Robert Vadra tried to mislead investigators by shifting the blame for the land deal in Gurugram's Shikohpur on three deceased persons, saying they handled such deals, and feigning ignorance about real estate matters from that period. Robert Vadra was questioned by the agency on April 15 and 16 this year and his statements to ED are part of the charge sheet. (ANI) The businessman husband of Congress member of Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has refused to recognise the person who actually signed on the ₹7.5 crore land deal in 2008, according to the charge sheet, reviewed by HT. The financial crimes probe agency filed the charge sheet on July 17, naming Vadra, two other individuals and eight companies as accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleging that Vadra received proceeds of crime worth ₹58 crore in the Shikohpur deal. The agency also attached 43 immovable properties worth over ₹38 crore linked to him, including an apartment in the posh The Aralias in Gurugram. It is alleged that SLHPL (Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd), a company of Robert Vadra, purchased 3.53 acres of land in Shikohpur from Omkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd (OPPL) on February 12, 2008, for ₹7.50 crore. Four years later, in September 2012, the company sold this 3.53-acre land to realty major DLF for ₹58 crore. The land deal got into controversy in October 2012 after IAS officer Ashok Khemka, then posted as the director general of Land Consolidation and Land Records-cum-Inspector-General of Registration of Haryana, cancelled the mutation of this, categorising the transaction as violative of the state consolidation act and some related procedures. Haryana police filed a case in the matter on September 1, 2018. The son-in-law of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was questioned by the agency on April 15 and 16 this year, and his statements to ED are part of the charge sheet. To most of the queries put up to him, Vadra has claimed that he 'acted on behest of the understanding and guidance of three people -- Late Rajesh Khurana, Late H L Pahwa and Late Mahesh Nagar -- in all real estate matters' and that he had 'no knowledge of real estate and technical details of real estate matters in the early years of 2008' as it was a new business for him. Asserting that Robert Vadra has been evasive in his replies, ED's charge sheet says 'the documentary evidence collected during the course of investigation clearly establishes that Vadra is trying to mislead the investigation as he has put the entire onus with regards to purchase of land, seeking licence for commercial property on three deceased persons: Pahwa, Khurana and Nagar. On the contrary, the documentary evidence clearly provides that none of these persons were involved in the said transaction but the authorised persons were Sunil Kumar and Dhirendra Dadwal, the signatories on behalf of Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd'. Vadra, according to his statement, part of the charge sheet, said he didn't know Sunil Kumar and Dhirendra Dadwal. The charge sheet against the businessman further states that Vadra created structures to launder the proceeds of crime generated from criminal activities. It said Vadra acquired the land in Shikohpur by undervaluing it and concealing the fact that the stamp duty was paid by the seller. HT reached out to Vadra for a comment, but there was no response until the time of going to press. He has previously termed the action against him as nothing more than a 'political witch hunt.'
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Robert Vadra gave evasive replies, put onus on deceased associates: ED chargesheet in Gurugram land deal case
Robert Vadra, the businessman husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, gave "evasive" replies during questioning in a 2008 "fraudulent" land deal in Shikohpur village of Haryana's Gurugram, and put the "entire onus" on his three deceased associates, the Enforcement Directorate has said in its chargesheet. The ED also alleged that in the alleged money laundering linked real estate transaction, Robert Vadra exerted "undue influence" on Haryana government officials through former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The 332-page chargesheet mentioning these charges was filed by the federal probe agency on July 17 before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi. Mr. Vadra, 56, received Rs ₹58 crore as "proceeds of crime" in the land deal, the ED alleged. Special Judge (PC Act) at Rouse Avenue Courts, Sushant Changotra, on August 2 issued a notice to all 11 accused named in the ED chargesheet before taking cognisance of the prosecution complaint and has listed the matter for August 28. The judge also directed that a copy of the chargesheet be shared with the accused. Mr. Vadra has been named as accused number 1, apart from seven companies linked to him and two directors of SGY Properties (formerly Omkareshwar Properties) named Satyanand Yajee and Kewal Singh Virk. There was no immediate comment from Mr. Vadra's legal team on the allegations made by the ED against the businessman. The case The case pertains to Mr. Vadra's company Skylight Hospitality (SLHPL) purchasing a 3.5 acre land in Shikohpur village in Sector 83 of Gurugram from Omkareshwar Properties (OPPL) at a price of ₹7.5 crore in 2008. The ED took cognisance of a September 2018 FIR of the Gurugram police to file a money laundering case in December that year. The police FIR claimed the land deal was a "bribe" to Mr. Vadra's company (SLHPL) so that he could help OPPL in getting housing licence in the same village from the then CM Hooda, who was also minister of town and country planning, by his personal influence as he (Vadra) was the son-in-law of the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi. "He (Vadra) entered into a dishonest or fraudulent execution of deed of transfer containing false statement of consideration and thus acquired 3.5 acres of land," teh ED claimed. "Robert Vadra through his entity SLHPL has purchased 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur village without making the payment at the time of registration of sale deed, and declaring that full and final payment has been made," the ED alleged in the chargesheet. It claimed the businessman issued a cheque of Rs 7.50 crore from his other entity named SLRPL (Sky Light Realty) to "misrepresent" the facts in the sale deed. "This cheque was never encashed and no payment was ever made by SLRPL at the time of execution of sale deed," the ED probe found. Mr. Vadra, as per the ED, created structures to "launder" the proceeds of crime generated out of criminal activities. It said the buyer in this case was SLHPL but the stamp duty was paid by the seller, i.e., OPPL. "The allegations in the FIR (Haryana Police) that Mr. Vadra has undue influence through the then CM of Haryana (Hooda) was evident from the fact that the financial capacity to build a colony in the absence of any financial details and documents were accepted by the officials of DTCP (department of town and country planning) at entry level for the only reason that Robert Vadra was the director of this company. "Moreover, the processing of file on the day of its submission by every official in DTCP in a single day and approving by the then CM of Haryana within five days clearly indicates the influence of Robert Vadra, where the government has to take such decision which have a cascading effect on the planning of the cities of Haryana," the ED said. It alleged Mr. Vadra acquired "proceeds of crime" worth ₹58 crore as the land was sold to DLF for the said amount (Rs 58 crore). This was done by entering into a joint venture with DLF Retails Ltd on the basis of Letter of Intent (LoI) issued by DTCP on 3.5 acres of land owned by SLHPL. The ED alleged Mr. Vadra transferred the illicit funds to his various entities for purchasing movable and immovable assets apart from making "conspicuous" expenditure. 'Evasive replies' The agency alleged Mr. Vadra gave "evasive" replies during his questioning and he put "all the onus on three deceased persons (his associates) named late H L Pahwa, late Rajesh Khurana and late Mahesh Nagar for acting on behalf of him". "However, no documentary evidences were provided by him to substantiate his claim," the ED said. It has furnished Mr. Vadra's statement in the chargesheet where he defended himself by saying that these transactions took place in 2007-08 and that he was a "novice" to real estate matters and dependent on his three associates (Khurana, Pahwa and Nagar), and whatever agreements were prepared were with their (three associates) understanding, experience and knowledge. "I didn't decide who should be representing or signing these documents, they were decided by late Rajesh Khurana," Mr. Vadra told the ED during his questioning in April. Mr. Vadra reiterated these matters were 18-year-old and he doesn't "specifically remember" these land deal transactions.
India.com
5 hours ago
- India.com
Robert Vadra-Linked 7 Firms In Delhi Named By ED As Accused In money Laundering Case
Businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, used as many as seven firms linked to him and registered at an address in Sukhdev Vihar in Delhi in a tainted land deal in Gurugram in 2008, shows a prosecution complaint filed by the ED. All the seven firms have been named as accused in the case. In its complaint filed in a Special PMLA court, ED has shed light on Vadra's several alleged illicit acts like false statement with regards to receipt of sale consideration, under valuation of the land and loss of stamp duty caused to the state government. While alleging that Vadra received received Rs 58 crore as proceeds of crime (PoC) of the involved money laundering, the ED said its investigation led to the provisional attachment of 43 immovable properties, totaling Rs 38.69 crore, identified as direct or value equivalent to Proceeds of Crime. The Special PMLA court has fixed August 28 to take cognisance of the ED complaint filed on July 17 and issued a notice to Vadra. In the ED chargesheet, Vadra has been named as Accused Number 1 along with 10 others, including seven companies. The ED alleged that Vadra's company Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, despite having less capital, bought 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur, Gurugram from Omkareshwar Properties Private Limited for Rs 7.50 crore. The probe agency claimed that Vadra virtually got the land for free. It said he had never issued the cheque to the seller of the land and the cheque mentioned in the sale deed did not pertain to the buyer, implying that Vadra never paid the money mentioned as sale consideration in the deed. 'Moreover, the cheque mentioned in the sale deed was much lower than the prevalent market rate which is evident from the fact that the seller itself was selling its other land in the nearby vicinity at much higher rates as compared to the rates mentioned in the sale deed dated February 12, 2008,' it said. The probe agency said that despite the application stating 3.53 acres, only 1.35 acre were available for commercial licensing, below the 2-acre minimum. 'Nevertheless, Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) officials in Chandigarh proceeded with the application by including land designated for a sector road. Statements from DTCP officials revealed pressure from higher authorities to accelerate the process. The file also showed backdating and alterations to the sector road plan to help M/s SLHPL qualify for the licence,' said the ED complaint. The other accused named in the ED prosecution complaint are: Satyanand Yajee; Kewal Singh Virk; Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited (now converted into Skylight Hospitality LLP); Sky Light Realty Private Limited, Real Earth Estates Private Limited (now converted into Real Earth Estates LLP), Blue Breeze Trading Private Limited, Artex, North India IT Parks Private Limited, Lambodar Art Enterprises India Private Limited (now converted into Lambodar Art Enterprises India LLP) and SGY Properties Private Limited (earlier known as Onkareshwer Properties Private Limited).
