The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly criticized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for exceeding its authority and misusing its powers. The latest rebuke came on Thursday, when the court accused the agency of 'crossing all limits' in a money laundering probe against a Tamil Nadu state-run liquor retailer. This follows a string of similar observations by the Supreme Court and high courts across India, raising concerns about the ED's investigative practices and the potential for misuse of its powers.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, provided evasive responses during questioning regarding a 2008 land deal in Haryana. The ED claims Vadra placed blame on deceased associates and exerted undue influence on government officials.
The DGCA has issued four showcause notices to Air India over repeated violations of cabin crew deployment, training lapses, rest regulations, and operational oversight that compromise flight safety.
The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani for questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged bank loan fraud.
'Faulty alarms, delays in shutting off oxygen, poor electrical maintenance and staff untrained for emergencies. These are not isolated incidents but reflect a larger pattern of weak oversight.'
The Supreme Court of India has criticized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for focusing solely on its own fundamental rights while pursuing a money laundering case related to the Nagrik Apurti Nigam (NAN) scam in Chhattisgarh. The court questioned the agency's attempt to transfer the case to New Delhi, noting that the agency's petition under Article 32 of the Constitution is typically reserved for individuals seeking redressal for fundamental rights violations.
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Actor Mahesh Babu has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case related to realty group Surana group and Sai Surya Developers. The actor is accused of receiving over Rs 5.5 crore for appearing in advertisements for the Surana Group. The ED earlier found illegal transactions worth Rs 100 crore and seized Rs 74.5 lakh in cash during searches at Surana group's affiliated companies. Surana Group is accused of fraud under the guise of real estate ventures and is alleged to have caused financial losses to numerous investors.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against an Enforcement Directorate (ED) assistant director who escaped during a trap operation last week. The ED officer, posted in Shimla, is accused of demanding bribes from promoters of educational institutes in Himachal Pradesh. The CBI has already arrested the officer's brother and a middleman in connection with the case. The ED officer and his supervisory officers have been transferred to Delhi.
After the State Bank of India, Bank of India has classified the loan account of insolvent Reliance Communications as fraudulent and named its former director, tycoon Anil Ambani, citing alleged fund diversion in 2016, according to a regulatory filing. State-owned Bank of India granted a Rs 700 crore loan in August 2016 to Reliance Communications for its ongoing capital and operational expenditure and repayment of existing liabilities.
A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed in Madhya Pradesh to investigate the deaths of 14 children in Chhindwara, suspected to be linked to a toxic cough syrup. The investigation includes arrests, exhumations, and a ban on the implicated cough syrup.
Two jawans of the Assam Rifles were killed and five others injured when a group of armed men ambushed a vehicle of the paramilitary force on September 19.
During negotiations, the officer allegedly agreed to reduce the amount to Rs 2 crore, with the condition that the first installment of Rs 50 lakh had to be paid to the middleman by Thursday evening, the complaint said.
The Supreme Court addressed the issue of probe agencies summoning lawyers for providing legal advice to clients under investigation, emphasising that lawyers should not be summoned merely for offering legal advice but can be if they are assisting in the crime. The court is considering guidelines to prevent investigative overreach and protect lawyer-client privilege.
Air India has been issued nine show cause notices for safety violations in the last six months, according to the civil aviation ministry. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken enforcement action on one violation. This follows a fatal accident involving an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Enforcement Directorate officials said on Friday they are probing a 'complex network' of agents and facilitators in India, Canada and the US who help Indians illegally enter the US via 'bogus' admissions in Canadian colleges.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel is set to face congressional scrutiny over his handling of the investigation into the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, after early missteps including a false social media post claiming that 'the subject' in the killing was in custody, Al Jazeera reported.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at multiple locations in Tamil Nadu on Thursday as part of a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), including the purported role of its minister Senthil Balaji. The raids covered the offices of TASMAC, its employees, corporate offices of distilleries and plants, as well as "key associates" linked to Balaji, but not the minister's premises. The ED is looking into liquor sale transactions and the role of alleged middlemen in connection with TASMAC. Balaji, the minister for electricity, is also in charge of TASMAC, which holds a monopoly over liquor trade in the state. The agency is also investigating Balaji's role in an earlier money laundering case linked to the "cash for jobs scam" in the state transport department. He was arrested in that case but is currently out on bail.
Arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari has opposed the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea in a Delhi court seeking to declare him a "fugitive " in connection with a black money case. Bhandari claims his stay in the UK is legal as the London High Court denied his extradition to India. The court's decision was also cited by an English court in April to deny the Indian government's request to extradite another accused in a rice-buying scam. Bhandari's lawyer argued that the ED's application was "vague, misplaced and without jurisdiction " and that the value involved in the case was less than the required Rs 100 crore to declare someone a "fugitive. " The Delhi court has sought the ED's rebuttal to Bhandari's argument by May 3.
A magisterial inquiry into the September 24 violence in Leh, which resulted in four deaths, is expected to be completed within four weeks. The inquiry, led by Sub Divisional Magistrate Nubra Mukul Beniwal, aims to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Supreme Court declined to examine a plea challenging a PMLA provision, stating the issue lies in the law's abuse, not the law itself. The court allowed the petitioner to approach the High Court if procedures weren't followed.
The Supreme Court has initiated a suo motu case regarding investigation agencies summoning lawyers and will examine if they can be put to notice. The action follows the Enforcement Directorate summoning senior lawyers, which was condemned by bar associations.
Michigan State Police reported that one suspect had been taken into custody shortly after 6 pm (local time).
A major fire broke out in a building housing an electronics goods showroom in the suburban Bandra area in the early hours of Tuesday, prompting the deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for firefighting operations. While no injuries were reported, the building adjacent to the affected structure was evacuated as a precaution. The fire, classified as Level IV (major), started around 4.10 am in a multistorey building on Linking Road in Bandra (west). The blaze initially confined to the basement later spread to the upper floors, engulfing the building in smoke. Thick black smoke was visible from afar, and photographs and videos of the blaze surfaced on social media. Around 6.25 am, the fire brigade classified the blaze as Level IV, indicating a major fire requiring extensive firefighting operations. Mumbai Fire Brigade chief Ravindra Ambulgekar and other senior officers rushed to the spot, with at least 13 fire engines and other firefighting vehicles deployed to douse the blaze. Other agencies have also been mobilized, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. This is the second major early-morning blaze in Mumbai in two days, following a fire at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Ballard Estate on Sunday.
Issuing notice to the ED on the plea filed by the Tamil Nadu government and Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih told Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the anti-money laundering probe agency, that "Your ED is crossing all the limits."
In May, 40 Rohingyas were blindfolded and flown to the Andaman and Nicobar islands and then thrown into the sea and made to swim to an island in Myanmar. And after the Pahalgam attack, at least 300 Muslims were 'pushed back' to Bangladesh from Assam.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the state government has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore to secure full cooperation from authorities in the case of singer Zubeen Garg's death.
The court said there is nothing on record to suggest that since 2023, Purkayastha was ever called to join the investigations.
The fraud is alleged to have caused a Rs 65 crore loss to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized its biggest-ever cryptocurrency worth Rs 1,646 crore in a money laundering investigation into a fraud investment scheme called BitConnect. The scheme, which ran between 2016 and 2018, promised investors high returns through a proprietary trading bot but was found to be a sham. The ED tracked transactions through the dark web and seized the cryptocurrency from numerous wallets. This is the agency's largest-ever seizure of virtual digital assets and the investigation is ongoing.
The Enforcement Directorate on Monday said it has issued a Rs 611 crore show cause notice to Paytm's parent company and linked entities for "contravention" of the FEMA on various counts.
The TVK has sought an independent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, contending that a fair and impartial probe would not be possible if conducted solely by officers of the Tamil Nadu Police.
The Enforcement Directorate has also taken interest in the case and sought related documents and FIR copies from the local police, they added.
The Supreme Court expressed serious concern over the Enforcement Directorate summoning advocates for offering legal advice or representing clients during investigations, calling for guidelines on the matter.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has defended a doctor arrested in connection with cough syrup deaths in Madhya Pradesh, attributing the incident to failures in the drugs regulatory system.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has nominated Maharashta Governor Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan as their candidate for Vice-President of India. The announcement was made by BJP President J P Nadda, highlighting Radhakrishnan's extensive public service and cross-party respect.
United States President Donald Trump is set to engage in high-stakes bilateral meetings on Thursday, including a closed-door session with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Oval Office, according to Trump's public schedule released by the White House.
BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai and many party functionaries were detained by police in Chennai on Monday ahead of a protest against alleged irregularities in state-run liquor retailer TASMAC. The BJP had planned to picket the TASMAC headquarters over alleged Rs 1,000 crore irregularities, as claimed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Annamalai was detained near his house along with his supporters, and senior party leaders including Tamilisai Soundararajan were placed "under house arrest" by the police. The ED had earlier said it found "multiple irregularities" in TASMAC operations, including "manipulation" in tender processes and "unaccounted" cash transactions worth Rs 1,000 crore.
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday withdrew its summons to a senior lawyer for reportedly giving legal advice in a case after the Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association (SCAORA) wrote to the chief justice of India for taking note of the action.
In a significant order, the Supreme Court has restrained the Enforcement Directorate from accessing and copying content from electronic devices seized during searches against Santiago Martin, also known as the 'lottery king', his relatives, and employees.
