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ED arrests controversial billionaire meat exporter Moin Qureshi

Published

9 years ago

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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]

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Champat Rai, Anil Mishra get clean chit in Ram Temple donation theft case 

The SIT probing alleged donation theft at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has cleared former Trust general secretary Champat Rai and former member Anil Mishra.

Published

6 hours ago

on

August 18, 2026

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The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged irregularities in donation management at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has cleared former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai and former Trust member Anil Mishra.

The Uttar Pradesh Home Department on Monday handed over the SIT’s final report to the Trust, which will now take further action based on the findings.

Rai and Mishra had resigned from their positions on June 27 after allegations of donation theft emerged. The two former Trust members were subsequently questioned by the SIT about the temple’s donation management process.

Champat Rai denied involvement in donation theft

According to sources, Champat Rai told investigators during questioning that he had no role in the alleged theft. He reportedly said that the suspects were arrested following his complaint.

Rai also told the police that ensuring there were no irregularities in donation collection was part of his responsibility and that he acted after learning about the alleged wrongdoing.

SIT was formed before Supreme Court intervention

The three-member SIT was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13 at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant headed the panel. Range Inspector General Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan Kumar were the other members.

The SIT submitted its preliminary report to the state government on June 23 and made several stringent recommendations.

Following the preliminary report, Trust member Krishnamohan filed a written complaint at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi police station. An FIR was subsequently registered on June 25.

Eight people named in FIR

The FIR named Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar Yadav, alias Tinnu, along with other unidentified individuals.

According to the provided report, all eight named accused were arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The SIT’s preliminary findings also formed the basis for subsequent FIRs and arrest-related action in the case.

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Himanta Sarma accuses Sonia, Rahul of provoking unrest over Vande Mataram row

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised Sonia and Rahul Gandhi over the Vande Mataram controversy and accused Congress of provoking unrest.

Published

19 hours ago

on

August 17, 2026

By

Himanta sharma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday criticised Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the controversy surrounding the rendition of Vande Mataram at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Independence Day.

Sarma questioned how the Congress would govern if it returned to power, alleging that the conduct of its senior leaders during the national song had raised concerns.

“During Vande Mataram, the way Sonia Gandhi behaved and the song was stopped midway clearly indicates that if Congress mistakenly comes to power, the country will face a worse situation,” Mr Sarma said.

The Assam Chief Minister also accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of encouraging protests in the name of Gen Z.

“Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have almost taken a decision to oppose the country in the name of Gen Z. They are provoking people to protest and trying hard to create a bad environment in the country,” he said.

Sarma further alleged that such actions could contribute to instability in the country.

“I am not bothered about these things, but these people are working against the country and provoking the people of the country to protest and bring anarchy,” he said.

What triggered the Vande Mataram controversy

The political row erupted after footage from the Congress Independence Day programme on August 15 surfaced on social media. The video showed senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, during the rendition of Vande Mataram.

BJP leaders have interpreted gestures seen in the footage as an attempt to interrupt the national song. The Congress, however, has rejected that interpretation.

The issue has since become a political flashpoint, with BJP leaders accusing the Congress of disrespecting Vande Mataram.

A complaint seeking action against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the alleged disruption is also being examined by the Delhi Police.

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BJP unveils 64-member national team with 3 former CMs, 18 MPs and 10 women

The BJP’s new 64-member national team includes three former chief ministers, 18 sitting MPs and 10 women, with representation from 23 states and Union Territories.

Published

20 hours ago

on

August 17, 2026

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The BJP’s new 64-member team of national office bearers brings together former chief ministers, sitting MPs, women leaders and representatives from different social and regional groups as the party prepares for the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

The team, headed by BJP national president Nitin Nabin, includes three former chief ministers, 18 sitting MPs and 10 women leaders. More than 40 per cent of the members belong to deprived communities, according to the details of the appointments.

Northeast gets special focus

The new organisational team includes leaders from 23 states and Union Territories, giving the party’s national leadership a broad geographical representation.

The Northeast has received particular attention, with three leaders from Tripura, Assam and Nagaland included in the team. The BJP’s North-East Coordination Cell will also continue to function under the leadership of Sambit Patra.

The team includes four tribal representatives, with one each from West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and the Northeast. Two of these representatives are women.

Three members from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh represent the Scheduled Castes in the new team.

Representation across communities

The BJP’s national office bearers also include 10 experienced women leaders from different parts of the country.

The team has representation from different religious communities, including one Sikh, two Christians, one Muslim, one Jain and one Parsi member, alongside Hindu leaders.

Former chief ministers and MPs add experience

The organisational team brings considerable administrative and political experience, with former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb among the members.

Four leaders with previous experience in the Union government and one sitting Union minister are also part of the team.

The new national office bearers include 18 sitting Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, bringing legislative experience and their connection with constituencies to the organisation.

Professionals and younger leaders add to the team

The team also brings together people from varied professional and academic backgrounds. It includes two professors, four practising doctors, as well as PhD holders, engineers, chartered accountants and lawyers.

The appointments to various Morchas are expected to bring organisational experience, fresh energy and domain expertise to the BJP’s national team.

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