Latest news with #NishantSareen
Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Indian Express
ED raids Himachal assistant drug controller, seizes vehicles and unaccounted liquor
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Chandigarh Zone carried out extensive search operations on June 22 and 23 at seven premises linked to Nishant Sareen, Assistant Drug Controller, Dharamshala, and his relatives and associates. It confiscated two high-end vehicles estimated to be worth Rs 32 lakh and more than 60 unaccounted liquor bottles. As per ED officials, the searches were conducted in connection with allegations of corruption, bribery, and misuse of official positions during his previous posting as assistant drug controller in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh. During the operation, the ED seized crucial documents, including drug licences, show-cause notices, pharmaceutical clearances, property-related papers, and multiple digital devices. The agency also froze over 40 bank accounts and fixed deposits (FDs) along with three lockers held by Sareen and his family members. The liquor bottles were recovered from Sareen's residence at Omaxe Cassia, New Chandigarh. The ED suspects that Sareen exploited his regulatory authority to grant undue favours to pharmaceutical companies in exchange for personal gains. The probe is ongoing.
News18
15 hours ago
- News18
ED Raids Himachal Assistant Drug Controller Nishant Sareen, More Than 40 Bank Accounts Frozen
Last Updated: The investigation is related to a case of corruption and bribery while Sareen was posted as ADC in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Chandigarh Zone has conducted search operations at seven residential and commercial premises as well as government offices located in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab linked to Nishant Sareen, presently posted as assistant drug controller (ADC), Dharamshala. The investigation is related to a case of corruption and bribery while Sareen was posted as ADC in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh. The ED's investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was initiated based on an FIR registered by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Himachal Pradesh Police. The FIR was filed under Section 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Nishant Sareen for allegedly misusing his official position for personal benefits. Background While posted as ADC in Baddi, Sareen was accused of corruption and bribery. He was arrested by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau and charge-sheeted along with his associate Komal Khanna. After being released on bail, Sareen was posted as ADC in Dharamshala in September 2024. Another FIR was registered against Sareen and others by the Haryana police in 2022. The FIR alleged forgery of a partnership deed of Zhenia Pharmaceuticals, Panchkula, which increased Komal Khanna's share from 50% to 95%. Sareen and Khanna were also accused of threat and intimidation, indicating misuse of Sareen's official position. Seizures during search operation During the recent search operation, the ED seized various documents, including drug licenses, show cause notices, and clearances issued to pharmaceutical companies. Property-related documents and digital devices, including mobile phones, laptops, and pen drives, were also seized. The ED also seized two vehicles worth approximately Rs 32 lakh and froze more than 40 bank accounts and FDRs belonging to Nishant Sareen and his family members. Additionally, three lockers were also frozen. During the search, more than 60 unaccounted liquor bottles were found at Sareen's residence in Omaxe Cassia, New Chandigarh. Ongoing investigation The ED is investigating complaints of extortion by Nishant Sareen in his present role as ADC, Dharamshala. The agency is also probing interconnected financial transactions between Sareen's family members and pharmaceutical companies. The investigation is ongoing, and the ED is working to uncover the extent of Sareen's alleged corruption and bribery. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated!
Hindustan Times
16 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
ED freezes 40 accounts, unearths liquor bottles during raids against HP asst drug controller
New Delhi, About 40 bank and fixed-deposit accounts were frozen, two SUVs seized and five dozen "unaccounted" liquor bottles found following raids against a Himachal Pradesh-based assistant drug controller being probed on charges of "extortion" and "bribery", the ED said on Thursday. ED freezes 40 accounts, unearths liquor bottles during raids against HP asst drug controller The raids against Nishant Sareen, currently posted as the assistant drug controller in Dharamshala, his father-in-law Ramesh Kumar Gupta and an alleged associate, Komal Khanna, were launched by the federal probe agency on June 22 and seven residential, commercial and government premises located in the state, Haryana and Punjab were covered. The money-laundering case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act stems from an August 2019 FIR registered by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Himachal Pradesh Police against Sareen, while he was posted as the ADC in Baddi. The police case was related to misuse of official position for personal benefits and corruption and bribery, the Enforcement Directorate said in a statement. Sareen could not be contacted for a comment on the ED charges made against him. The SV&ACB arrested Sareen in September 2019 and later, chargesheeted him along with Khanna. Sareen was released on bail in October that year and was posted as the ADC, Dharamshala in 2024. The central agency said one more FIR was registered against Sareen and others by the Haryana Police in 2022. "This case related to alleged forgery of partnership deed of Zhenia Pharmaceuticals, Panchkula, increasing Komal Khanna's share from 50 per cent to 95 per cent and threat and intimidation made by Nishant Sareen and Komal Khanna indicating misuse of official position of Nishant Sareen yet again," the ED alleged. It said complaints of "extortion" by Sareen in his present role as ADC, Dharamshala and inter-connected financial transactions between his family members and pharmaceutical companies are also under investigation. Documents like drug licences, show-cause notices, clearances issued to pharmaceutical companies, property-related documents and digital devices, including mobile phones, laptops and pen drives, were seized during the searches. Two sports utility vehicles worth about ₹ 32 lakh, more than 40 bank and fixed deposit accounts and three lockers belonging to Sareen and his family members were seized or frozen under the PMLA, the ED said. "Additionally, more than 60 unaccounted liquor bottles were also found at his residence at Omaxe Cassia, New Chandigarh," it said. During the Himachal Pradesh Police's investigation, Sareen faced charges of receiving bribes from pharmaceutical companies based in Baddi, a well known pharma-hub of the state. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
India Gazette
16 hours ago
- India Gazette
ED seizes assets worth Rs 32 lakh, liquor bottles in probe against Himachal drug official
Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], June 26 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate's Chandigarh Zone seized two vehicles worth around Rs 32 lakh, over 40 bank accounts, fixed deposits, and three lockers linked to Assistant Drug Controller in Dharamshala, Nishant Sareen, and his family. The searches were carried out on June 22-23 at seven places in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab in a case related to misuse of position, corruption, and bribery. As per the statement from Enforcement Directorate, 'Enforcement Directorate's Chandigarh Zone has seized two vehicles worth approximately Rs 32 lakhs, more than 40 bank accounts and Fixed Deposit receipts and three lockers belonging to Nishant Sareen (presently posted as Assistant Drug Controller, Dharamshala) and his family members during searches conducted on June 22-23 at seven residential, commercial premises and Government office located in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab in a case related to misuse of official position for personal benefits and corruption and bribery while being posted as Assistant Drug Controller, Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.' The ED also found over 60 unaccounted liquor bottles at his home in New Chandigarh. 'Additionally, more than 60 unaccounted liquor bottles were also found at his residence at Omaxe Cassia, New Chandigarh,' the statement reads. Earlier on Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at 18 places in Karnataka in connection with the 'engineering seat blocking scam' in private engineering colleges in Bengaluru, sources said. ED's Bengaluru office is conducting the search operation at the premises of the accused colleges, the trustee of BMS College and their main associates, the offices and residences of a few private education consultants, and a few seat-blocking agents. Agency officials said that the main accused in this case are the Bhusanayana Mukundadas Sreenivasaiah (BMS) College of Engineering, Akash Institute of Engineering and Technology, and New Horizon College of Engineering.'These colleges and their associates are suspected of being involved in financial irregularities related to the seat allocation process.' In this case, seats in private engineering colleges were allegedly being blocked, possibly to be later sold at a premium, depriving deserving candidates of fair admission opportunities. (ANI)
NDTV
19 hours ago
- NDTV
60 Liquor Bottles, Rs 32 Lakh Cash: Probe Agency Raids Himachal Official
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has carried out extensive search operations on June 22 and 23, at seven locations across Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab in a case of alleged corruption, bribery, and misuse of official position by Nishant Sareen, currently posted as Assistant Drug Controller (ADC) in Dharamshala. The searches targeted residential and commercial premises, as well as a government office, linked to Nishant Sareen, his relatives, and associates. The ED action is part of a money laundering probe initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on an FIR registered by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Himachal Pradesh Police. The original FIR, filed under Section 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, pertains to Mr Sareen's earlier posting as ADC in Baddi, a major pharmaceutical hub. Mr Sareen was previously arrested and later charge-sheeted along with his associate Komal Khanna. After being released on bail, he was transferred to Dharamshala in September 2024. In a separate case, Haryana Police had filed an FIR in 2022 against Mr Sareen and others over allegations of forgery of a partnership deed of Zhenia Pharmaceuticals in Panchkula. The complaint also includes charges of threat and intimidation, further pointing to the alleged misuse of Mr Sareen's official position. During the ED raids, officials seized key documents such as drug licences, show cause notices, pharmaceutical approvals, property records, and digital evidence, including laptops, pen drives, and mobile phones. Two luxury vehicles worth approximately Rs 32 lakh were seized, along with more than 40 bank accounts, fixed deposits, and three lockers linked to Mr Sareen and his family. Notably, over 60 unaccounted liquor bottles were recovered from Mr Sareen's residence at Omaxe Cassia in New Chandigarh. The ED is also probing fresh complaints of extortion during Sareen's current posting in Dharamshala, and suspicious financial links between his family and pharmaceutical companies. Further investigation is underway.
