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ED doubts Saket Gokhale’s claim of Rahul Gandhi’s aide paying cash

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has questioned Alankar Sawai, a close aide of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in connection with a money laundering case lodged against arrested Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale for allegedly misusing around Rs 1 crore, collected through crowd funding.

The ED has learnt that Gokhale had collected around Rs 80 lakhs through crowd funding using an online platform, whereas cash amounting to Rs 23.54 lakhs was also deposited into his account.

IANS is in the possession of ED documents which suggests that the probe agency doubts his claims.

When the ED asked Gokhale about the Rs 23.54 lakhs, he said the amount was given to him in cash by Sawai.

“We asked him as to why Alankar Sawai will pay him in cash? Gokhale replied that only Sawai could answer this question. We asked whether there was any written agreement between Sawai and him in respect of Social media work, Gokhale said that it was only verbal agreement,” ED sources said.

Sawai was called to join the investigation on several occasions.

The sources claimed that he was questioned on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

During the questioning, Sawai denied that any payment was made to Gokhale.

The ED sources said that there is no proof as of now to prove that he made the payment and they will confront him together with Gokhale.

“The money was deposited in November 2021 whereas he joined the Trinamool Congress in August 2021. In such case why he will promote Congress party? This is the reason we doubt his ststement,” the sources said.

Funds raised through the campaign “Support Saket in his transparency battle” were used for his sustenance and other social cause activities.

The ED has also alleged that the funds were used for helping his father Suhas Gokhale with his health and legal expenses relating to his promotion.

The agency asked him to provide them a list of freelancers engaged by him to amplify his work, to this Saket Gokhale stated that he did not remember the names.

He also said that he even didn’t know how much amount he had paid to freelancers.

When the ED asked him about the investment in share market, Saket Gokhale stated that he invested the funds raised through crowdfunding in the sharemarket with the hope that the return on investment would sustain him in the long term without having to raise additional funds

Saket Gokhale’s statement was recorded on January 19, 2022, wherein initially he said that he had informed to the donors right from the beginning that the crowd funding is for his sustenance so that he can carry his work full time without having to take up a job.

However when he was shown his post shared on May 23, 2019, seeking support and contribution for campaign ‘SaketversusModi’ in which nowhere he had mentioned that purpose of funds was for his sustenance, he backtracked from his earlier statement by saying that in this campaign he had not raised funds for his sustenance but for later campaigns were for his sustenance.

Crime

Two Held With ₹68 Lakh Cash Near India-Myanmar Border In Mizoram; Heroin Worth ₹78 Lakh Seized

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Aizawl: Two persons were arrested with Rs 68 lakh in cash near the India-Myanmar border in east Mizoram’s Champhai district, officials said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, the Assam Rifles intercepted a vehicle at Zote village on August 11, they said.

Upon thorough checking, Rs 60 lakh in cash was recovered from two persons in the vehicle.

The duo, identified as Joseph Lalthansanga and Vanlalruati, could not state any proper reason why they were carrying such a huge amount of cash. They were subsequently handed over to the police for legal action, officials said.

In another operation, the Assam Rifles recovered 94.6 gram of heroin, worth Rs 78 lakh, from the village on Wednesday.

The drugs were handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, officials said.

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Crime

Jalgaon Tragedy: 8 Suspects Arrested For Kidnapping, Mob Lynching And Killing 21-Year-Old Suleman Khan

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Jalgaon: Suleman Rahim Khan Pathan, a 21-year-old man, was killed through beating in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra. The incident occurred on Monday when Suleman traveled to Jamner to complete online applications for police recruitment. In the afternoon, as he sat in a cafe with a girl, 8 to 10 men grabbed his mobile phone and unexpectedly assaulted him.

They pulled Suleman to his village and violently assaulted him, making him lose consciousness. When his relatives attempted to rescue him, the assailants reacted with violence towards them as well. Suleman’s 80-year-old grandfather was also affected. The assailants showcased him on the street and struck him with wooden clubs.

Suleman was taken to the hospital by his villagers, where he was pronounced dead by doctors. His father stated that his son was not dating any girl, and during the confrontation, the villagers were unable to assist because of their fear.

According to Suleman’s father, Rahim Khan, on the day of the incident Suleman was working with his father, when around 11 am Suleman told his father he is going to fill up a Police recruitment form after which the people kidnapped and beat him. The people was brought to his home at around 4pm. When the father tried to intervene the mob started attacking him and other members of the family.

Police Arrests 8 Suspects

The authorities have apprehended 8 suspects related to this case up to now. The initial four suspects were apprehended on Tuesday: Abhishek Rajkumar Rajput (22), Ghanshyam also known as Suraj Biharilal Sharma (25), Deepak Bajirao (20), and Ranjan also referred to as Ranjit Ramakrishna Matade (48).

While the other four were taken into custody on Wednesday. All the defendants have been placed in police detention until August 18. The arrests were confirmed by the inspector of the Jamner police station.

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Crime

Palghar News: Young Man Assaulted With Axe In Broad Daylight, Mob Tie Up Attacker Before Police Arrest

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Palghar, Maharashtra: A broad daylight attack in a busy Palghar neighbourhood shocked residents on Wednesday after a young man allegedly assaulted a 35-year-old with an axe, leaving him seriously injured.

The incident occurred around 4 p.m. at the main square in the Kamala Park housing colony on Mahi Road. According to police sources, the accused, believed to be around 27 years old, struck Baboolal Fulchand Yadav in the face with an axe, causing severe injuries. Yadav was immediately rushed to a hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.

Eyewitnesses said the attacker attempted to flee, but local residents intervened, catching him and tying him to a tree with ropes before thrashing him. Police arrived shortly afterward, to control the mob and take the accused into custody 

The motive behind the attack is still under investigation, and the process of registering a formal case in ongoing. The suspect’s identity had not been officially confirmed at the time of reporting.

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