India News
ED to quiz Indrani Mukerjea in INX Media money laundering case today
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Indrani, already in jail for allegedly murdering her daughter Sheena Bora, will is suspected to have siphoned off over 90 million GBP from INX Media
In more trouble for the jailed Sheena Bora murder accused – Indrani Mukerjea – the Enforcement Directorate has claimed that she, along with her now-estranged husband Peter Mukerjee had allegedly laundered 90 million Great Britain Pounds, out of INX Media – a company they jointly ran before selling it off in 2009.
The ED, on Thursday, secured a two-day judicial custody of Indrani from a special CBI court in Mumbai and is likely to question her over the money laundering charges on Friday and then again on December 6. According to ED sleuths, Indrani and Peter siphoned off the money from INX media and then routed it to bank accounts in offshore destinations through hawala transactions.
It is pertinent to note that Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, is also an accused in the larger INX Media money laundering case. The ED’s request to question Indrani on the money laundering charges in the case may, however, not be linked with the role that Karti has been accused of.
Earlier in May, a first information report (FIR) was lodged against Karti, Indrani and Peter Mukerjea, unknown officers of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) unit of ministry of finance and others over alleged financial misappropriation over FIPB clearance to INX Media in 2008.
On Thursday, ED’s counsel Hiten Venegaonkar had filed an application to the CBI court – seeking permission from the District Women Prisons’ Byculla Jail authorities – to record Mukerjea’s statement in the INX Media case for two days – November 24 and December 6.
According to a report in Asian Age, an application filed by the ED through its counsel before CBI judge JC Jagdale, said: “INX Media had approached the then chairman of FIPB, department of economic affairs in 2007. It sought approval for permission to issue by the way of preferential allotment in one or more tranches up to 14,98,995 equity shares of Rs 10 each and up to 31,22,605 convertible non-cumulative redeemable preference shares of Rs 10 each, collectively representing approximately 46.216 per cent of the issued equity share capital of INX Media on an ‘as converted’ basis to three non-resident investors under the FDI route.”
The ED application also reportedly mentions that Peter Mukerjea’s son Rabin is allegedly handling the funds held in the form of bonds in New Zealand. “Illicit funds gathered by Peter Mukerjea and Indrani have been siphoned off to unknown overseas destinations and routed back to UK and India through Mauritius-based foreign investors,” the application says, adding that Rabin Mukerjea has ownership/association of three bank accounts in Royal Bank of Scotland and accounts in ANZ Bank, and a company, Grant Central Entertainment LLP, UK.
Reportedly, the ED has also sought to link the money laundering allegations against Indrani Mukerjea with the Sheena Bora murder case. Sources said that ED has noted in its application before the special CBI court that the murder of Sheena Bora, Indrani Mukerjea’s daughter from an earlier relationship, was suspected to be motivated by financial reasons. Sheena Bora’s murder had come to light in August 2015 after Indrani’s driver Shyamvar Rai, who had been arrested in an unrelated case, had reportedly confessed before the police that Sheena had been murdered by her mother and her body had been disposed off in a forest.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
India News
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh arrested in connection with money laundering case linked to Delhi liquor policy
The Enforcement Directorate has mentioned Sanjay Singh’s name in its charge sheet. According to the investigating agency Dinesh Arora a middle man said he had met Singh during a party in his restaurant. The name of the restaurant is Unplugged Courtyard.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday arrested Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh after searches were conducted at his residence in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. The central investigating agency questioned Sanjay Singh for 10 hours before arresting him.
Houses of several people close to the AAP MP were also searched. The Enforcement Directorate had named Sanjay Singh in its charge-sheet. According to the investigating agency, Dinesh Arora, a middle-man, said he had met Singh during a party in his restaurant, Unplugged Courtyard.
Before leaving his home with the ED officers, Sanjay Singh touched his mother’s feet to take her blessings. Sanjay Singh’s father said they would cooperate fully with ED officials. He added he told his son Sanjay not to worry. He said the future was positive for them as the government will change soon.
AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the move showed BJP’s desperate measures as it stares at defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Delhi Education Minister Atishi tweeted the BJP’s fear of losing to the INDIA alliance is clearly visible. She said Sanjay Singh worked for the people of Delhi and wondered why they don’t open an ED office in the AAP headquarters itself. Atishi added the BJP is surviving by making false allegations against AAP.
The Enforcement Directorate had arrested then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. Large number of comments from different political leaders of different parties started coming immediately. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said the way the AAP leaders used to write letters it seemed there was no one as honest as them. Tiwari added the AAP leader’s co-accused have turned approvers. He said the flame will not end with Sanjay Singh, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain but will reach Arvind Kejriwal as well.
India News
Government hikes subsidy for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per LPG cylinder
Ujjwala beneficiaries are paying Rs 703 per 14.2 cylinder as against the market price of Rs 903. After this announcement they will pay Rs 603.
Union Minster Anurag Thakur announced the Central government has hiked the subsidy amount for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per LPG cylinder on Wednesday. Anurag Thakur said the subsidy will bring an additional financial implication of Rs 7680 crore for the financial year 2023-24.
Ujjwala beneficiaries are paying Rs 703 per 14.2 cylinder as against the market price of Rs 903. After this announcement they will pay Rs 603. The decision has been made one month after the central government reduced the price of the price of cylinders for domestic cooking gas by Rs 200 for all customers.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched by PM Modi on May 1, 2016 in UP’s Ballia. The scheme aims to provide cooking gas like LPG to the people of rural India. The scheme focuses on offering LPG connections to women from disadvantaged groups, forest dwellers, Antyoday Anna Yojana (AAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), SC/ST communities and BPL households.
The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of PMUY for release of 75 lakh LPG connections over three years from the financial year 2023-24 to 2025-26. The 75 lakh additional Ujjwala connections take total number of PMUY beneficiaries to Rs 10.35 crore.
The decision to give additional subsidies for Ujjawala beneficiaries has come ahead upcoming elections in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Congress has repeatedly attacked the BJP government at the centre as it is an important issue. It was also a part of BJP’s election campaign in 2014 when Congress was in power at the centre. The decision has been taken by the Union government at a time when domestic LPG cylinders are available at a retail price of Rs 1103 per LPG cylinder.
India News
Rasabali: Famous sweet dish of Odisha’s Kendrapara district gets GI tag
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took to X (formerly twitter) and said it is a matter of pride for Odisha to get the GI tag for Kendrapara Rasabali. Patnaik added Rasabali has special importance to tradition and food culture of Odisha.
The Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai under the ministry of Commerce and industry gave the GI tag to the sweet dish, which is known as Kendrapara Rasabali. Kendrapara Rasabali Mistanna Nirmata Sangha and the rural infrastructure development and employment department had applied for GI tag for Rasabali. They had submitted the supporting documents to the registry.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took to X (formerly twitter) and said it is a matter of pride for Odisha to get the GI tag for Kendrapara Rasabali. Patnaik added Rasabali has special importance to tradition and food culture of Odisha. The origin of the sweet dish is from the 262 year old Sree Baladevjew temple. The presiding diety of the shrine is offered Rasabali as bhog. Rasabali finds its place among the chappan bhog at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The tag is a matter of pride for the sweetmakers. The recognition gives the product its own identity and image. Baishnab Panda, president of Kendrapara Rasabali Makers association was delighted and said the sweet will get better exposure now. Kendrapara’s Rasabali is one of the most delicious sweets in India. But it is not getting marketed properly due to poor export facilities and poor promotion.
Kendrapara Rasabali Mistanna Nirmata Sangh had prepared a dossier in the year 2021 in order to claim geographical identification tag for the sweetdish. Basudev Das a researcher of Kendrapara said the request had been submitted to the state government. The government further forwarded the request to the office of Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.
The GI tag will help Kendrapara Rasabali to get more prominence in the market. This will in turn help the makers to fetch a better price for the sweetdish. According to NandaKishore Parida This GI certification will help in stopping the adulteration of Kendrapara Rasabali. As a result the sweet dish will fetch better prices in the market.
