Latest news with #PreventionofMoneyLaunderingAct
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
ED files closure report in 49 cases, secures eight convictions in over 5,800 PMLA cases
The Finance Ministry on Tuesday informed Parliament that the Enforcement Directorate ( ED ), over the last 10-and-a-half years, has filed closure reports in 49 cases and secured eight conviction orders involving 15 people out of 5,892 cases taken up under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Out of these cases, 1,398 prosecution complaints, including 353 supplementary charge sheets, have been filed before the respective special courts under the PMLA , Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Check in 2 mins if your car finance deal was unfair. My Car Loan Claims Learn More Undo
New Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Lawyers 'merely' providing legal opinion to clients under probe should not be summoned by agencies: SC
Echoing similar voices with Singh, Nair expressed deep concern over the issuance of summons under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, highlighting that such actions constitute an impermissible transgression of the sacrosanct principle of lawyer-client privilege. "This pose a serious threat to the autonomy, independence, and fearless functioning of the Bar," Nair stated. SCAORA urged the top court to examine the legality and propriety of such actions, safeguard the constitutional and professional protections afforded to advocates, and lay down appropriate guidelines to prevent any further erosion of the independence of the Bar and misuse of executive power. On the other hand, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, agreed with the court's saying that lawyers should not be summoned merely for offering legal advice. "The privilege of communication between a lawyer and a client must be respected. The profession itself is protected under the proviso,' Mehta pointed out. After being apprised about the laws on summoning of lawyers, the top court directed that written suggestions submitted by SCBA and SCAoRA be forwarded to the SG and the Attorney General within three days, and fixed the matter for further hearing to August 12, when the Centre will respond.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
ED filed closure reports in 49 PMLA cases over last 10 years: Govt in Parliament
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the last 10-and-a- half years, has filed closure reports in 49 cases before special courts meant to try anti-money laundering crimes, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday. The agency secured eight conviction orders involving 15 people from the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) courts between 2015 to June 2025, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written statement furnished in Rajya Sabha . He was asked about the details of all cases lodged by the ED since 2015 where charge sheets have not yet been filed in courts, trial of the accused has not started and prosecution has been closed by the federal probe agency. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Physiotherapist: The Fastest Way to Overcome Knee Pain and Swelling Wellnee Undo "During the period from 01.01.2015 to 30.06.2025, the Directorate of Enforcement has taken up 5,892 cases for investigation under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002," the minister said. In these cases, 1,398 prosecution complaints including 353 supplementary charge sheets have been filed before the respective special courts under PMLA, he said. Live Events Out of these, so far, the special courts have framed charges in 300 prosecution complaints including 66 supplementary charge sheets, Chaudhary said. "As on 30.06.2025, the PMLA special courts have convicted 15 persons in 08 conviction orders in these cases," he stated. The reply did not specify the reasons for filing of the closure reports by the ED. According to the scheme of PMLA, money laundering cases are only registered after taking cognisance of a predicate offence or primary case booked under various sections of the IPC or BNS and other laws. The courts have held that if the primary case falls before a court of law, the PMLA case will automatically go away.
Hans India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Delhi court defers decision in National Herald case
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday deferred the pronouncement of its decision on the question of taking cognisance of the prosecution complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged National Herald money laundering case. The high-profile case arrays Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and others as accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne, who was slated to deliver the verdict on Tuesday, deferred the pronouncement till the second week of August. The Rouse Avenue Court had reserved its order on July 14 after hearing detailed arguments of the federal anti-money laundering agency as well as the proposed accused, including the Gandhis. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, representing the ED, had claimed that Young Indian Ltd -- in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority stakeholders – was used for usurping around Rs 2,000 crore assets of the National Herald by paying a nominal price of Rs 50 lakh. ASG Raju said that Young Indian exists just in name, and all the other accused are puppets of the Gandhi family. As per the ED, a conspiracy was hatched to form Young Indian to acquire control over the vast assets of the now-defunct newspaper, aimed at benefiting the top Congress leadership personally. The Central agency said that several senior Congress leaders were involved in "fake transactions' made to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald. ASG Raju told the court that individuals were making fraudulent advance rent payments over several years at the direction of senior Congress functionaries with fabricated rent receipts. The ED's prosecution complaint claimed that by way of a malicious takeover, the Congress leadership had misappropriated property belonging to the AJL and converted public trusts into personal assets. In contrast, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sonia Gandhi, had described the money laundering allegations as 'really strange' and 'unprecedented', claiming that no tangible assets were involved. Further, LoP Rahul Gandhi claimed that the All India Congress Committee's attempts to revive the pre-Independence era newspaper were misconstrued as a bid to sell its assets. Highlighting the non-profit objectives of the company, senior advocate R.S. Cheema, representing LoP Rahul Gandhi, said National Herald was never a commercial institution and the AICC just wanted to bring the newspaper back on the rails. The controversy over National Herald's assets came into focus in 2012 when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint in a trial court, alleging that Congress leaders had engaged in cheating and breach of trust in the process of acquiring AJL.
The Hindu
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
ED filed closure reports in 49 PMLA cases over last 10 years: Government
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the last ten-and-a- half years, has filed closure reports in 49 cases before special courts meant to try anti-money laundering crimes, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday (July 29, 2025). Parliament Monsoon Session: Follow LIVE updates on July 29, 2025 The agency secured eight conviction orders involving 15 people from the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) courts between 2015 to June 2025, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written statement furnished in the Rajya Sabha. He was asked about the details of all cases lodged by the ED since 2015 where charge sheets have not yet been filed in courts, trial of the accused has not started and prosecution has been closed by the federal probe agency. "During the period from 01.01.2015 to 30.06.2025, the Directorate of Enforcement has taken up 5,892 cases for investigation under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002," the Minister said. In these cases, 1,398 prosecution complaints including 353 supplementary charge sheets have been filed before the respective special courts under PMLA, he said. Also Read | Significant step-up in action taken under PMLA since 2014, says ED Director Out of these, so far, the special courts have framed charges in 300 prosecution complaints including 66 supplementary charge sheets, Mr. Chaudhary said. "As on 30.06.2025, the PMLA special courts have convicted 15 persons in 08 conviction orders in these cases," he stated. The reply did not specify the reasons for filing of the closure reports by the ED. According to the scheme of PMLA, money laundering cases are only registered after taking cognisance of a predicate offence or primary case booked under various sections of the IPC or BNS and other laws. The courts have held that if the primary case falls before a court of law, the PMLA case will automatically go away.
