Latest news with #VigilanceandAnti-CorruptionBureau
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Corruption case: Vigilance uncovers alleged Thane-based shell company used to divert bribe
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Ernakulam unit, has claimed to have uncovered an alleged shell company in Thane, Maharashtra, in connection with the corruption case in Kerala in which three persons were arrested on the charge of attempting to take a bribe of ₹2 crore from a businessman to allegedly get him off the hook of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The case had taken a dramatic turn after it emerged that the VACB had arraigned an officer of the ED Kochi unit as the key accused. The VACB has so far arrested Wilson Varghese, 36, of Thammanam, Mukesh Kumar, 55, of Rajasthan, and Ranjith Warrier, a Kochi-based chartered accountant. The VACB suspects that all the three have served as intermediaries for collecting pay-offs from people facing potential investigation by the enforcement agency. Shekhar Kumar, assistant director of the Kochi unit of the ED is under the scanner of the VACB. The VACB sources said they were verifying whether there are such shell companies were involved in the case. Incidentally, Wilson, during the interrogation, had reportedly told VACB that the third accused, Mukesh, had given him the account details of a bank account in Thane to which the businessman had transferred ₹50,000. The case was registered on a complaint by a Kollam-based businessman who runs a cashew export-import firm. According to the VACB, the businessman was summoned to the Kochi unit of the ED in 2024 on the grounds that his firm's turnover was very high and that accounts had been forged to mask money laundering. Shortly thereafter, the second accused, Wilson, contacted the businessman with an offer to sort out his ED trouble by paying ₹2 crore to the first accused, stated the remand report. Wilson asked the businessman for ₹2 lakh in liquid cash to be handed over in person to the first accused on May 15, 2025. Following this, the businessman lodged a complaint with the VACB. The enforcement agency registered a case after pre-verification and set a trap for Wilson when he turned up to collect the marked currency notes worth ₹2 lakh from the businessman on May 16. During his interrogation, Wilson claimed that he was just a middleman and named the third accused, Mukesh, and claimed that he had come to collect the money at his instance., according to the remand report.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
VACB asks ED officer for details in ‘corruption' case
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has sought documents from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pertaining to a case investigated by an ED officer of the Kochi unit arraigned by the VACB in a corruption case. S. Sasidharan, Superintendent of VACB, Ernakulam unit, visited the officer and handed over a letter to that effect. This was a follow-up to a letter the VACB had sent to the ED on May 22 seeking details of the case. Mr. Sasidharan told the media that the response from the ED had been encouraging. 'We have given a letter asking for specific records needed for the investigation,' he said. The VACB, he said, was analysing data retrieved from the gadgets seized from the accused and the content was voluminous. 'We have covered a portion of it and a lot more needs to be done. A decision on whether to summon the accused officer would be taken after completing the data analysis. More allegations have come up and they are being verified,' Mr. Sasidharan said. The VACB had arrested three persons for allegedly demanding ₹2 crore from a Kollam-based businessman to get him off the ED hook. Shekhar Kumar, an assistant director with the ED, was named as the first accused in the case. But he has neither been questioned nor arrested.
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- New Indian Express
VACB registers disproportionate asset case against civil police officer in Ernakulam
KOCHI: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Wednesday registered a case against a civil police officer (CPO) for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The accused, Jomon V G, 45, a native of Puthupariyaram, Manakkadu in Idukki, is currently posted at the Njarakkal police station. The case was registered following an investigation launched by the VACB Special Cell (Central Zone) while he was serving at Vazhakulam police station in Ernakulam. Based on a tip-off, the VACB initiated a verification of his financial records. A preliminary inquiry revealed that Jomon had acquired assets worth Rs 67.03 lakh, out of which Rs 10.23 lakh was found to be disproportionate to his known sources of income. Following the registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, a VACB team under SP P A Muhammad Arif conducted a raid at Jomon's residence on Wednesday. During the search, the team seized 13 documents, Rs 25,000 in cash, and two bank locker keys. The seized materials will be scrutinised as part of the ongoing investigation. VACB officials said the accused will be summoned soon for detailed interrogation. This is the third case of wealth amassment registered by VACB Special Cell (Central Zone) against government officials in the district this month.
New Indian Express
22-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Vigilance intensifies probe into bribery case against ED officer in Kerala
KOCHI: As it intensifies the probe into the alleged bribery case involving an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau is giving special focus on cyber (read digital) evidence. The VACB officials on Wednesday said they were currently in the evidence collection phase and further action will be based on what they find. 'The investigation is proceeding in phases. We are examining all angles. We are also awaiting reports of the forensic analysis of the electronic devices seized from the accused. The current focus is on cyber-related aspects,' said VACB Ernakulam SP S Sasidharan. ED assistant director Shekar Kumar was booked in connection with a Rs 2-crore bribery case. Three persons, alleged middlemen, have already been arrested for reportedly extorting money from a complainant in exchange for halting an ED investigation.
New Indian Express
19-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Fresh trouble for ED as more misconduct allegations emerge
KOCHI: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Sunday received three new complaints alleging malpractice by officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), raising concerns over the central agency's credibility. The complaints spell fresh trouble for the ED, which is in the dock after an assistant director with its Kochi unit was named prime accused in a Rs 2-crore bribery case, in which three middlemen were also arrested. 'We have received three more complaints against ED officials and are examining them,' said a source with the bureau, adding that the probe by the VACB SP was on and hence, more details could not be divulged. VACB Ernakulam SP S Sasidharan said they had received some oral complaints and were in the process of assessing their authenticity and gathering more information. The VACB had named Shekar Kumar, the ED (Kochi) assistant director, as the prime accused in the bribery case based on the probe initiated on the complaint of Aneesh Babu, a Kottarakkara-based businessman engaged in the export of cashew to African countries. Aneesh was interrogated by the ED last year over alleged irregularities in transfer of funds overseas. The case was registered after the VACB caught Wilson Varghese, a resident of Thammanam in Kochi and middleman, accepting the bribe on Thursday. This led to the arrests of Mukesh Jain alias Murali, a Rajasthan native living in Kochi, on Friday, and Renjith Warrier, a chartered accountant based in Kochi, on Saturday. The three arrested persons are in judicial custody. Sasidharan said the arrested were cooperating with the investigation. 'We are collecting their statements. More arrests are likely. If any wrongdoing is confirmed, strict legal action will be taken regardless of the accused's position,' he said. ED deputy director accused of mental harassment Aneesh Babu, the complainant in the bribery case, on Sunday accused ED deputy director Vinod Kumar of severe mental harassment. Addressing reporters, Aneesh said the officer summoned him into his cabin, used abusive language and even forced him to sit on the floor. Initially, Aneesh had levelled the harassment allegations against ED regional deputy director P Radhakrishnan. However, he admitted to a mix-up and said no other ED official other than Vinod had threatened him directly.
