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‘Won’t’ tolerate obstruction’, allows ED to summon Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the Delhi High Court’s order, which dismissed Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee and his wife’s challenge to the ED’s summons issued in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged West Bengal coal scam.

However, the top court allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to summon Banerjee at its Kolkata office, and added that it will not tolerate any hooliganism or obstruction, when ED questions Banerjee in Kolkata.

A bench headed by Justice U.U. Lalit said the state government will provide assistance to the ED officials, who will have to give a 24-hour prior notice to question Banerjee and his wife. “If there is any kind of hooliganism or infraction, we will not tolerate it,” said the bench, also comprising Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia.

Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju told the apex court that Banerjee is a potential accused in the coal scam and the ED needs to interrogate him in Delhi. Raju said it will be very difficult to interrogate him in Kolkata. Last week, Raju told the top court that Banerjee is an influential politician. “My lords know how Central agencies were treated in Kolkata…CBI officers were gheraoed…I should not be saying this,” he submitted.

The top court recorded that the West Bengal government has assured that no coercive action will be initiated against ED officials without approaching it.

Banerjee and his wife’s plea, filed through advocate Sunil Fernandes, said: “The party to which the petitioner No.1 (Abhishek) belonged, comprehensively trounced the political party at power in the Centre, thereby giving justifiable cause to ‘target’ and ‘fix’ the petitioner No.1, by misusing the Central Investigation Agencies”.

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First roza in Mumbai on 24th March: All india Sunni Jamiyat e ulama

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Mumbai: Today was the 29th day of the month of Shaban al-Mu’zam and at the time of sunset, an attempt was made to see the moon of the month of Ramadan, but the moon was not seen. Although the sky was completely clear and there was not even a cloud of any kind of fog, despite this, the moon of the month of Ramadan (1444 Hijri) was not seen.

announcement by the All India Sunni Jamiat Ulama and Sunni Ruiyyatt Hilal Committee.

“Today dated 29th Sha’ban al-Mu’zam 1444 Hijri according to 22 March 2023, an attempt was made to see the moon of Ramadan after Maghrib prayer, but it could not be seen, nor was there a tradition from anywhere. The news of the crescent was received, so the Sunni Crescent Sighting Committee And it is announced by Sunni scholars that tomorrow 23rd March, Thursday 30th of Sha’ban is Shaban al-Mu’zam, and God willing, Friday 24th March will be the 1st of Ramadan, i.e. the first fast.”

Team Mumbai Press

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National News

Delhi HC reserves order on Satyendar Jain’s bail plea in PMLA casev

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on bail pleas of jailed Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain and his two aides in a money laundering case.

Jain has been in custody since May 30 last year and his co-accused are Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma heard arguments by accused’s counsel, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A trial court court had, on November 17, 2022, dismissed the former Delhi minister’s bail application.

The HC later issued notice on his bail plea.

According to the trial court, it has prima facie come on record that Satyendar Jain was “actually involved” in hiding the proceeds of crime by paying cash to entry operators based in Kolkata and then bringing the money into three companies against the sale of shares to demonstrate that the revenue of these three companies was clean.

In the petition before the high court, Jain argued that the Special Judge and Enforcement Directorate have gravely misread and misapplied the Prevention of Money Laundering Act “by identifying proceeds of crime solely on the basis of accommodation entries”.

The accommodation entries cannot itself lead to a punishable offence under PMLA, it was argued.

Because the charge sheet has already been filed in the case, Jain said that he is “not required to be incarcerated” during the trial.

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National News

SC to set up bench to hear Bilkis Bano plea against release of 11 convicts

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to set up a special bench to hear a plea against the release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case, which also involves the killing of her several family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Advocate Shobha Gupta, representing Bano, mentioned the matter for urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud. The bench, also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, assured Gupta that a new bench will be formed to hear the case.

The Chief Justice said, “I will have a bench constituted. We need to break two benches for it. We will look at this in the evening.”

In January this year, the top court had said the question of maintainability would not arise in a matter related to remission of 11 life terms convicts.

In the plea, Bano said release of all the convicts came as a shock to the petitioner, to her grown-up daughters, to her family, and also to the society at large, nationally, and internationally.

The petition said: “The premature release of all the convicts came as a shock not only to the petitioner, to her grown up daughters, to her family, but also to the society at large, nationally and internationally, and the society across segments had shown their anger, disappointment, distrust and protest to the clemency shown by the government by releasing criminals like the 11 convicts of the case.”

Terming the release order mechanical, the plea said the premature release of the convicts in much talked about case of Bilkis Bano, has shaken the conscience of the society and resulted in several agitations across the country.

All 11 convicts were granted remission by the Gujarat government and released on August 15, last year.

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