The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at the premises of Raj Kundra, a businessman and husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the alleged distribution of pornographic and adult films.

According to reports indicate that around 15 locations in Mumbai and some cities in Uttar Pradesh, including Kundra’s home and office, are being investigated.

Kundra is reportedly being questioned by the probe agency at one of the search locations. This money laundering case, which began in May 2022, stems from at least two FIRs and chargesheets filed by the Mumbai police against Kundra and others. He, along with others, was arrested in connection with the case but was subsequently granted bail.

This marks the second money laundering case against Kundra. Earlier this year, the ED seized assets worth Rs 98 crore belonging to Kundra and Shetty in a cryptocurrency investigation. However, the couple received relief from the Bombay High Court regarding this asset attachment.

In 2021, Kundra had told a local court in Mumbai that there was not even an iota of evidence with the prosecution (Mumbai Police) that would connect the app ‘Hotshots’, used in the alleged porn films racket, with an offence under the law.

But, the ED found that the ‘Hotshots’ app was being used by accused persons for uploading and streaming obscene content.

The businessman had refused his involvement in the creation of alleged porn content and he had claimed that he was falsely implicated and was not even named in the FIR and was dragged by the respondent (police) in the case.

Kundra claimed in the plea that he is being made a “scapegoat” for reasons best known to investigators.

The police had filed FIRs on the basis of complaints received from two women, while another woman had submitted a complaint at the Lonavla police station, around 120 km from Mumbai.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday captured a special moment of his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while she was entering the Parliament for the first time as a member after a massive victory in the recent Wayanad Lok Sabha byelection.

In the video shared widely on the internet, while brother Rahul was moving a bit ahead at the stairs took out his mobile phone and asked her sister to stop, while she was steps away from the Parliament hall’s main entrance, to click some pictures of sister and newly elected Wayanad MP.

A video of of Rahul Gandhi clicking pictures of Priyanka Gandhi, and asking her to smile was shared by an X user.

In the video, Rahul is heard saying, “Let me take a picture too,” as laughter and lighthearted moments unfold among the group. Another clip shows Rahul asking Priyanka to step back so he can photograph her, while others move aside. True to his role as a supportive brother, he also shared the photo with Priyanka.

Priyanka’s oath of office followed her impressive victory in Kerala’s Wayanad constituency. Today, she took her oath as a Lok Sabha MP, joining her mother Sonia and brother Rahul in Parliament. It was a rare moment for three family members to serve together.

During the session, Priyanka took her oath in Hindi while holding a copy of the Constitution. Her journey into active politics officially began with today’s oath-taking in the Lok Sabha, accompanied by fellow Congress leader Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan, who was also sworn in as an MP from Nanded.

Priyanka arrived in Parliament alongside her mother, and her brother Rahul Gandhi and husband Robert Vadra were present to support her during the ceremony.

She secured the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat with a remarkable margin of 410,931 votes in the recent by-elections, held concurrently with the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections in 2024.

After entering politics in 2019 and being appointed as Congress general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi has now embarked on her journey as an elected representative of the people.

After the BJP-led Mahayuti stellar performance in the Maharashtra Assembly election, an old video of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is going viral on the internet.  

The viral video recorded after the BJP’s disappointing performance in the 2019 elections, showcased Fadnavis citing a Hindi Shayari, saying, “Mera paani utarta dekh mere kinare par ghar mat basa, main samandar hoon, lautkar vapas aaunga” (Don’t build a house on my shore after seeing my water receding. I am the ocean. I will come back).

This prophetic statement now resonates with his return as the leading face of the BJP, which has gained more than 130 seats alone in the state.

As the Mahayuti is set to form a government in the state, BJP workers and supporters were seen celebrating outside the party office in Mumbai.

In a post on X, Fadnavis, the former chief minister of Maharashtra, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and BJP President JP Nadda for the victory in the state Assembly elections.

Earlier today, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari hailed the BJP-led Mahayuti for the outstanding performance in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, saying the alliance prioritised development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shiv Sena (Shinde) chief and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde thanked the people of Maharashtra for the NDA’s landslide victory.

On Mahayuti’s CM face, Shinde said: “All I will say is let the final figures come. After that, all three parties (BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP) will sit, and discuss with seniors, and then a decision will be taken unanimously.”

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is all set to retain power in the state and has crossed the majority mark, as per the Election Commission of India data. In the Mahayuti, BJP candidates were leading in more than 120 seats, Shiv Sena in 55 and NCP in 38 seats.