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ED arrests controversial billionaire meat exporter Moin Qureshi

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The AMQ Agro founder, who has been booked under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is also said to be one of India’s biggest income tax defaulters and earlier reports have claimed that he is suspected of stashing at least Rs 200 crore in tax havens abroad

Controversial billionaire meat exporter and owner of AMQ Agro, Moin Akhtar Qureshi, was arrested late on Friday night in the national capital by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe against him and others.

Qureshi had reportedly been called in for questioning by the probe agency which claimed that he had not been cooperative during the interrogation  which forced its sleuths to place him under arrest.

Qureshi, who is alleged to be one of India’s biggest income tax defaulters, has been arrested under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He had been questioned on multiple occasions earlier by the ED in connection with money laundering charges, allegations of income tax evasion and stashing undisclosed, illicit income – a staggering Rs 200 crore by some estimates – in foreign tax havens.

ED sources said that in the latest FIR filed against Qureshi, former CBI Director AP Singh has also been named. Although details of what allegations have been made against Singh in the FIR are not known yet, the former CBI director has claimed that he is “being targeted” by some vested interested.

Qureshi, who hails from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and is an alumnus of the prestigious Doon School, Dehradun and St Stephen’s College, New Delhi, is said to share a close personal rapport with at least two former CBI directors – AP Singh and Ranjit Sinha, besides also having strong connection across political parties of all hues, especially the Congress party.

As Qureshi was being produced in the Patiala House Court by the ED officials, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told media persons at the party’s briefing: “I think you should ask the official spokespersons from these agencies (ED and Income Tax) why there was a delay in taking action (against Qureshi), as from what we hear from newspapers, it is an old case”. Singhvi was responding to questions from journalists about the Congress party’s reaction to Qureshi’s arrest when he also said: “I don’t think it’s right or fair for a political party to comment on an ongoing investigation.”

The ED, in a statement, said that its probe has revealed facts which “constitute omission and commission of certain acts on the part of certain public servants holding high positions in the public office in collusion with Qureshi, thereby huge amount of illegal money was found to have been transacted”. Qureshi had, in 2015, also been booked under provisions of PMLA by the ED following an Income Tax prosecution complaint.

Sources say that the records collected by the ED from the Income Tax department have “revealed that Qureshi had taken huge amount of money from different persons for obtaining undue favours from public servants after exercising his personal influence”.

The ED officials claim that these records include messages exchanged through Blackberry Messenger (BBM) between Qureshi and some persons accused in other criminal cases and also persons who wanted to seek undue favours from other investigating agencies of the government by getting them off the hook.

The ED alleged that Qureshi “obtained huge amount of money and it was obtained in the name of government servants or political persons holding public office and the said public servants either obtained the money for themselves or through their kin illegally.”

There were also BBM exchanges between Qureshi and former CBI chief AP Singh, which are being probed both by the ED and the CBI as part of a separate criminal investigation. However, the contents of these messages have not been declared by the probe agency as yet.

The ED has also claimed that an analysis of BBM messages retrieved from Qureshi’s mobile phones and those of his associates revealed that hawala operators were also used to transfer bribe money received from government officials to foreign locations in France and the United Kingdom.

A statement issued by the ED said: “Qureshi has extorted crores of rupees from a businessman from Hyderabad in lieu of the help provided. He was found involved in hawala transactions through Delhi-based hawala operators.”

It may be recalled that Qureshi is facing separate probes by the I-T department and the CBI for alleged tax evasion, money laundering and corruption among others. I-T officials are investigating Qureshi under the new Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015. The case had emerged after the I-T department carried out searches against Qureshi and his companies in February, 2014.

The billionaire meat exporter had first come under the IT scanner in 2011 when for an event hosted in Dubai as part of his daughter Prerna’s wedding celebrations, he had flown in famous Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Khan was detained on his way back by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital for not disclosing foreign currencies amounting to about Rs 60 lakh in cash – apparently taken as fee from Qureshi for the performance.

In mid-October last year, Qureshi had hit the headlines when he was briefly detained by security officials at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital when he was about to board a flight for Dubai.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Tax terrorism has to stop, says Congress after Income Tax Department issues fresh Rs 1,700 crore notice

The Congress has accused the BJP of squeezing it financially and of using tax authorities against it ahead of Lok Sabha elections beginning April 19.

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Ahead of the Lok Sabha election, the Congress’ financial woes worsened once again with the Income Tax Department issuing a fresh Rs 1,700 crore notice. The tax department issued the notice due to discrepancies in tax returns. 

The fresh notice is for assessment years 2017-18 to 2020-21 and includes penalty and interest. This comes a day after the Delhi High Court dismissed the party’s petition challenging the tax notices. 

The opposition party is already facing a funds crunch after Income Tax authorities imposed a penalty of Rs 200 crore and froze its funds. Furthermore, the party has not received any relief from the High Court in the case and is likely to approach the Supreme Court. The Congress has accused the BJP of squeezing it financially and of using tax authorities against it ahead of Lok Sabha elections beginning April 19.

Addressing a press conference, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that the notices are being sent to cripple the party financially. Calling the action as tax terrorism, Jairam Ramesh said that this attack on Congress has to stop.

Earlier in February, the Income Tax department had found fault in the party’s tax returns and demanded Rs 200 crore. Subsequently, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) had asked the party to pay the dues and froze their accounts. The Congress stated the tax tribunal’s order freezing its funds was an attack on democracy as the order came just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal stated that this is a deliberate attempt by the Narendra Modi-led to bankrupt the Congress ahead of elections. He mentioned that the timing of the penalty notice, following the Delhi High Court’s dismissal of Congress petitions challenging tax reassessment proceedings, reeks of political vendetta.

He underlined that while political parties are typically exempt from taxes, this penalty is allegedly due to delayed filing of returns. He asserted that it is a blatant move by the Modi government to cripple the Congress financially, especially during the elections. He further asserted that in response to the notice, the Congress plans to stage a nationwide protest, condemning BJP’s exploitation of central agencies to target opposition parties. 

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Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati, Tejashwi Yadav mourns demise of Mukhtar Ansari, demand probe

Akhilesh Yadav mentioned that such doubtful cases should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.

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Mukhtar Ansari, gangster turned politician, who has been in jail since 2005, died due to cardiac arrest on Thursday. After Ansari’s death, his family alleged that the politician had been poisoned in the jail.  

Expressing sorrow, several opposition leaders demanded a probe into the death of Mukhtar Ansari. Notably, the gangster turned politician submitted an application in Barabanki court, alleging he was given some poisonous substance along with his food. He claimed that on March 19, his nerves and limbs started paining after he consumed the food.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav wrote on X that a few days ago Mukhtar Ansari complained that he had been poisoned in jail, yet it was not taken seriously. He added that prima facie the move does not seem justifiable and humane. He stated that constitutional institutions should take suo motu cognizance of such strange cases and incidents.

Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party Chief, Akhilesh Yadav said that the state is going through the worst phase of government anarchy. He added that it is the responsibility and duty of the government to protect someone’s life in every situation and at every place. 

The former Chief Minister added that the death of a hostage or prisoner while being confined in the police station, in a fight inside the jail, on falling ill inside the prison, while being taken to court, while being taken to hospital or during treatment in hospital will erode public confidence in the judicial process. He mentioned that such doubtful cases should be investigated under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. He claimed that the way the government bypasses the judicial process and adopts other methods is completely illegal. 

Taking to social media platform X, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati said that the persistent apprehensions and serious allegations made by Mukhtar Ansari’s family regarding his death in jail require a high-level investigation so that the facts in his death can be revealed. 

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said that the people of Ghazipur lost their favourite son and brother. He added that Mukhtar Ansari had made serious allegations against the administration that he was poisoned, but the government did not pay any attention to his treatment.

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput stated that custodial deaths and firing in jail has become very common in Uttar Pradesh. He added that high level investigation should be conducted.

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Uttar Pradesh on high alert after gangster turned politician Mukhtar Ansari death, probe ordered on poisoned in jail charge

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), Prashant Kumar said that as a precautionary measure, Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed across the state.

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Several towns in Uttar Pradesh are on high alert and security has been strengthened after jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari died of cardiac arrest. His family alleged that the gangster, who has been in jail since 2005, was poisoned. 

The jailed gangster was hurried to a hospital after he fell unconscious at district jail on Thursday night. After a few hours, he was declared dead by the doctors at the Rani Durgavati Medical College. 

Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), Prashant Kumar said that as a precautionary measure, Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed across the state. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has also been called in to assist the police. Reportedly, the CRPF units have already been deployed in Banda, Mau, Ghazipur, and Varanasi.

Additionally, the social media cell of the Uttar Pradesh Police is also on high alert to track unlawful elements that may try to spark a riot. Furthermore, a magisterial investigation into the death of Mukhtar Ansari will be carried out by a three member team, reports said.

A former five-time MLA from Mau Sadar seat Muktar Ansari, had 60 criminal cases pending against him. The gangster turned politician was sentenced in eight cases since September 2022 by different courts of Uttar Pradesh and was lodged in the Banda jail.

Earlier, the former five-time MLA from Mau submitted an application in Barabanki court, alleging he was given some poisonous substance along with his food. He claimed that on March 19, his nerves and limbs started paining after he consumed the food.

Muktar Ansari was born into a family with deep roots in the independence struggle. His grandfather served as the Indian National Congress president in 1927. He was initially affiliated with the Bahujan Samaj Party before forming the Quami Ekta Dal (QED) after being expelled.

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