AHMEDABAD: As part of an ongoing multi-agency investigation into a fake billing scam, state goods and services tax (SGST) officials have unearthed fake billing of Rs 650 crore. This figure is expected to rise, according to senior SGST officials. Last week, the SGST department along with the Gujarat anti-terrorist squad (ATS) and Ahmedabad crime branch raided 205 locations linked to 115 companies suspected to be fake entities existing only on paper. Some 41 firms have been confirmed to be bogus entities. Top sources privy to the development said GST evasion of up to Rs 100 crore has already been reported in this case and the number will rise as the investigation progresses. Some 91 persons are being questioned by SGST and ATS officials in connection with the case. "We have also come across forgery of documents and impersonation. The investigation is now divided between ATS and SGST. While tax officials are probing evasion and fraudulently availed input tax credit, ATS is investigating the movement of the money. There is a strong suspicion of laundering of the proceeds of the scam," said a well-placed source. According to sources in the SGST department, tax recovery is expected to be a major challenge. "The focus is on securing incriminating documents and investigating further so that the extent of scam can be determined. This will also help tax officials to nab the 24 accused persons who are still at large," the source added. Of the bogus firms, 14 were registered in Ahmedabad, 12 in Vadodara, nine in Surat, three in Bhavnagar, two in Rajkot and one in Gandhidham. Each of these would generate bills for commodities such as scrap, metal scrap, metals, chemicals, and metal rods, to obtain and pass on illicitly obtained input tax credit. Last Saturday, officials of the SGST department and central agencies raided 205 locations in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Valsad, Rajkot, Panchmahal, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Kutch, Kheda, Narmada, Mahisagar, Bhavnagar, Bharuch, and Anand regarding this case.
AHMEDABAD: In what appears to be a high-value bogus billing scam that has surfaced just ahead of the Gujarat assembly election, the state goods and services tax (SGST) department along with ATS and Ahmedabad crime branch raided the premises of some 115 suspected bogus companies, since early on Saturday morning. Based on technical intelligence, SGST officials identified bogus companies in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Valsad, Rajkot, Panchmahal, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Kutch, Kheda, Narmada, Mahisagar, Bhavnagar, Bharuch, and Anand. SGST officials carried out raids across 205 locations in these cities. Some 90 teams have been deployed. SGST officials said 91 persons are being interrogated in relation with this case. The preliminary investigation revealed that each bogus firm was used to generate and issue bills for commodities such as scrap, metal scrap, metals, chemicals, and metal rods, to avail and pass on illicitly obtained input tax credit. More bogus firms have also come to the fore during the investigation. Officials expect higher tax evasion to be reported as the investigation progresses. Sources privy to the developments said during the investigation of fake billing scams reported recently, it was found that illicitly obtained input tax credit using fake bills was used to fund illegal activities. “In the past, in certain cases, we found that fake companies registered in Gujarat have bank accounts in remote locations such as Assam. More recently, the Reserve Bank alerted central agencies in Indore and Mumbai about high-value transactions taking place through Paytm, based on which the GST evasion scam involving 500 fake companies was unearthed and four persons were arrested in Surat. In this case, it is suspected that money siphoned off using fake bills is being transferred through hawala. We are still investigating,” a top source told TOI. Bogus companies identified in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Valsad, Rajkot, Panchmahal, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Kutch, Kheda, Narmada, Mahisagar.
AHMEDABAD: In what appears to be a high-value bogus billing scam that has surfaced just ahead of the state assembly election, the state goods and services tax (SGST) department along with ATS and Ahmedabad crime branch raided the premises of some 115 suspected bogus companies, since early on Saturday morning. Based on technical intelligence, SGST officials identified bogus companies in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Valsad, Rajkot, Panchmahal, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Kutch, Kheda, Narmada, Mahisagar, Bhavnagar, Bharuch, and Anand. SGST officials carried out raids across 205 locations in these cities. Some 90 teams have been deployed. SGST officials said 91 persons are being interrogated in relation with this case. The preliminary investigation revealed that each bogus firm was used to generate and issue bills for commodities such as scrap, metal scrap, metals, chemicals, and metal rods, to avail and pass on illicitly obtained input tax credit. More bogus firms have also come to the fore during the investigation. Officials expect higher tax evasion to be reported as the investigation progresses. Sources privy to the developments said during the investigation of fake billing scams reported recently, it was found that illicitly obtained input tax credit using fake bills was used to fund illegal activities. "In the past, in certain cases, we found that fake companies registered in Gujarat have bank accounts in remote locations such as Assam. More recently, the Reserve Bank alerted central agencies in Indore and Mumbai about high-value transactions taking place through Paytm, based on which the GST evasion scam involving 500 fake companies was unearthed and four persons were arrested in Surat. In this case, it is suspected that money siphoned off using fake bills is being transferred through hawala. We are still investigating," a top source told TOI. The economic offences cell of Surat police also recently arrested 16 persons for a fake billing scam, based on a tip-off about high-value transactions. "This scam appears to be well-calculated and spread across various states and districts. It involves a lot of offences of forgery and others not under the direct purview of the state commercial tax department. Therefore, other law enforcement agencies have been roped in for investigation so missing links can be identified," the source added.
AHMEDABAD: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Gujarat anti-terrorist squad (ATS) seized a Pakistani boat, Al Sakar, with 50kg of heroin, worth Rs 350 crore in the international market. The agencies arrested six persons who are all residents of Karachi in the Sindh province in Pakistan. Officials said the operation was conducted on Friday, when ICG and ATS personnel intercepted the Pakistani boat, and where the heroin was found concealed in five gunny bags. ATS officials said that according to their preliminary investigation, the seized heroin was sent by Pakistan-based drug racketeer Mohammad Kadar, who intended to use the Gujarat coast to supply the narcotic drug to north India and Punjab. The boat and its six crew members were brought to Jakhau port for further investigation. The apprehended Pakistani nationals are from Karachi, officials said. Following a search of the boat, 50kg heroin was recovered whose market value is estimated to be Rs 350 crore. An ICG release stated that on Friday night, a Pakistani boat was moving suspiciously in Indian waters, five nautical miles inside the notional International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and 40 nautical miles from Jakhau. "On being challenged, the Pakistani boat started evasive manoeuvring. Two fast interceptor class of ships - C-429 and C-454 - deployed by the ICG for patrolling areas close to the IMBL, intercepted the Pakistani boat and forced it to stop," it said. This is the sixth joint operation by the IGC and state ATS in the last year and second such operation in less than a month. More than 40kg of drugs was seized from a Pakistani boat on September 14. Such operations have been the result of effective coordination and synergy amongst security agencies, the ICG said in a release. Talking to reporters, Ashish Bhatia, Gujarat director general of police (DGP), said that the ATS team was working on these intelligence inputs for nearly six days, and action was taken after it received details about the boat which was apprehended. "After receiving the exact coordinates, the boat was challenged and apprehended. The crew members threw their (satellite) phone into the water. As we were alert, 50kg of contraband worth Rs 350 crore could be recovered from the boat," he said. He said the intended receiver of the contraband is yet to be identified. "We will try to get information through the interrogation of the apprehended crew members. A case will be registered and further action will be taken," he said.
In a joint operation, the Indian Coast Guard and the Anti-Terrorism Squad of Gujarat Police have seized around 5 kg of drugs, believed to be heroin, worth Rs 350 crore from a Pakistani boat off the Gujarat coast, an official statement issued on Saturday said. The boat and its six crew members are being brought to Jakhau for further investigation, the statement added.On Friday night, the Coast Guard had deployed two interceptor ships, C-429 and C-454, for patrolling the international maritime border. Around midnight, a Pakistani boat was observed moving suspiciously five nautical miles inside Indian territory, 40 nautical miles from Jakhau in Gujarat, the statement said.On being challenged, the Pakistani boat allegedly started evasive manoeuvring. However, the Coast Guard ships intercepted the Pakistani boat and forced it to stop. On boarding the boat, officials found 50 kg of narcotics, believed to be heroin, concealed in five gunny bags. The market value of the seized narcotics is estimated to be Rs 350 crore, the statement said.This is the sixth such joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard and ATS, Gujarat in the last one year and the second such operation in less than a month. On September 14, 40 kg of drugs was seized from a Pakistani boat, the statement added.
Coast Guard and Anti-Terror Squad seize Rs 360 crore heroin from Pakistani boat off GujaratAhmedabad, Gujarat: The Coast Guard and Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad or ATS have seized heroin worth Rs 360 crore from a Pakistani boat off the state coast, an official said this morning.The Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS personnel seized the boat 'Al Sakar' which had 50 kg heroin on board, in the Arabian Sea, the official said.The boat had six crew members and is being brought to the state's Jakhau port for further investigation, the official added.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comMore details awaited. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
AHMEDABAD: Heroin worth Rs 360 crore has been seized by Coast Guard and Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad from a Pakistani boat off the state coast, according to an official. The boat, Al Sakar, which had 50kg heroin on board was seized in the Arabian Sea on Friday. The boat had six crew members and is being brought to the state's Jakhau port for further investigation.
AHMEDABAD: As many as 15 people with links to the Popular Front of India (PFI) were detained in various parts of the state and questioned by the Gujarat anti-terrorist squad (ATS) on Monday and Tuesday, Gujarat police officers said. According to sources in Gujarat police, 10 persons were held from Ahmedabad city and five were picked up from Surat, Navsari and Banaskantha. The ten held in Ahmedabad were associated with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of PFI. An ATS officer said the detained persons were in contact with the leadership of PFI and had participated in various activities of the Islamist political outfit. On a query about the offences committed, the ATS officer said, "Even though they are not yet a banned political outfit, they were found to be involved in various crimes. We have been taking pre-emptive action against PFI members so that they do not create a base in Gujarat." The officer further said that they began action against PFI as they were allegedly involved in funding terror organizations and various political killings. The officer stressed that the detention of the 15 PFI members was not part of raids on the organization by the National Investigating Agency (NIA), which has so far arrested 106 persons in terror funding cases in 15 states.
As part of the nationwide crackdown on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its office-bearers by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), 15 alleged sympathisers of the outfit have been detained in Ahmedabad and various other areas in Gujarat, a state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) official said Tuesday.While ten people were detained in Ahmedabad, one each was detained at Surat and Navsari, and three others at Banaskantha early on Tuesday, the official added. “Basically, we have called 15 people for interrogation from four districts. Prime facie, we feel they are PFI sympathisers. Interrogation is going on and as of now we are not aware if they have any official PFI membership… We deduced that they are sympathisers because of their participation in some protests, which may have been organised by some similarly affiliated organisations,” an ATS official said.“Plus, we also saw some who were in touch with PFI members in other states and some others through social media. Taking into account these factors, the detentions have been undertaken as part of NIA’s investigation because, otherwise, Gujarat as such does not have the presence of PFI. We are only undertaking this exercise in case someone was set up here by PFI in an unofficial capacity, and if a direct role is found with PFI, necessary preventive measures will be taken after the interrogation. No FIR has been registered in NIA’s Gujarat unit as of now in this regard,” the official explained.Among those detained include men involved in “small-time political activities”, maulvis and others. Over 90 people allegedly linked with the PFI were detained or arrested in raids across six states, including Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra, Assam and Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. This comes in the wake of the arrest of over 100 leaders and activists of the PFI across 15 states on September 22 following multi-agency raids led by the NIA over alleged support for terror activities in the country.
AHMEDABAD: A joint team of Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat, carrying about 40 kg heroin worth around Rs 200 crore, 6 miles inside Indian waters off Arabian Sea on Wednesday. The boat named Al Tayyasa is being brought to Jakhau port for investigation. The ICG officials said two of its fast attack boats caught the Pakistani boat 33 nautical miles off Jakhau coast in Gujarat's Kutch district. A senior ATS official said the six Pakistani crew members of the boat were apprehended. "The heroin was meant to be transported to Punjab by road after being offloaded on the Gujarat coast. Based on a specific tip-off, we intercepted the boat which left from Pakistan, and caught six Pakistani nationals with 40 kg of heroin," PTI quoted him as saying. The ATS and ICG officials are expected to reach the Jakhau coast with the seized boat later in the day, he said. (with inputs from agencies)
Coast Guard seized a Pakistani fishing boat carrying drugs worth over Rs 200 crore (Representational)Ahmedabad, Gujarat: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad in a joint operation with the Indian Coast Guard seized 40 kg heroin worth over Rs 200 crore from a Pakistani fishing boat in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast today, a senior ATS official said.Six Pakistanis in the boat were also arrested, he said.The Pakistani fishing boat carrying drugs was intercepted mid-sea by a joint team of the Coast Guard and ATS near Jakhau harbour in Kutch district, the official said."The heroin was meant to be transported to Punjab by road after being offloaded on the Gujarat coast. Based on a specific tip-off, we intercepted the boat which left from Pakistan, and caught six Pakistani nationals with 40 kg of heroin," he said.The Anti-Terror Squad and Coast Guard officials along with the seized boat are expected to reach the Jakhau coast later today, he said.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comThe Gujarat ATS and the Coast Guard had foiled similar attempts of drug smuggling in the past as well and caught foreign nationals with huge quantities of narcotics which they planned to smuggle into India via the Gujarat coast. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Six Pakistani nationals on board a fishing trawler were detained off the Jakhau coast in Kutch and drugs worth around Rs 200 crore were allegedly seized from them in a joint operation by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat and the Indian Coast Guard, officers said Wednesday.“We had a lead that an attempt was being made to smuggle drugs into Gujarat. We shared this intelligence with the Indian Coast Guard and launched a joint operation with them. During the operation, we intercepted a Pakistani fishing trawler with six Pakistani fishermen and narcotic drugs worth around Rs 200 crore aboard,” a senior ATS officer confirmed to The Indian Express.ATS officers said the narcotic drug seized from the men is suspected to be heroin. “However, the exact nature of the drug will be known once it is brought to the coast and its forensic analysis is done. The trawler and six suspects are being brought to Jakhau coast,” the senior officer added.
AHMEDABAD: In a joint operation, the Gujarat anti-terrorist squad (ATS) and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 39.5kg of heroin, worth Rs 197.82 crore, at the Kolkata port, said DGP Ashish Bhatia on Friday. Speaking to reporters, Bhatia said, "Gujarat ATS received an intelligence input that a consignment of drugs had been sent from Dubai to Kolkata in a gearbox. After this, Gujarat ATS and DRI launched a joint operation and began tracking the container in which the consignment was brought to India." Bhatia said that under "Operation Gearbox", officers of Gujarat ATS and DRI began dismantling gear boxes and found that 12 gearboxes had white marks on them. On dismantling them, investigators found the heroin in 72 packets weighing a total of 39.5kg. The heroin was found at Century Container Freight Station (CCFS) at Kolkata port. On forensic examination, it was found that the contraband was heroin, with an estimated value of Rs 197.82 crore in the underground market. The consignment had been lying at the CCFS for about six months and had been sent by one SSK General Trading LLC, having its office at Business Bay in Dubai. Bhatia emphasized that Gujarat ATS has provided intelligence inputs in many recent drug seizures in various parts of the country. On the involvement of local persons in the smuggling racket, Bhatia said the investigation is at a preliminary stage. The inquiry is still underway at Kolkata port, he added. An official statement from the DRI said joint intelligence was developed by DRI and Gujarat ATS after which 'Operation Gearbox' was launched. "A container has been examined by the DRI at Kolkata port in the presence of officers of Gujarat ATS. The said container from Jebel Ali, Dubai, with a gross weight of 9,300kg was declared to contain 'heavy melting scrap'. The bill of entry was not filed for this container and the goods were found to be metallic scrap and machine parts like gearboxes," reads the DRI statement. The drugs packets were later found in the gearboxes. The DRI statement adds, "The drug syndicate has used this unique modus operandi to conceal heroin. The gears from old and used gearboxes were removed after opening them and plastic packets containing the narcotic substance were placed in the created cavity and the gearboxes were refitted to avoid detection." These packets were shipped concealing inside this metal scrap with other metal scrap so that it would go unnoticed by the authorities, the statement adds.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) along with Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Jamnagar regional unit and Surat crime branch Friday seized 39 kg of heroin worth around Rs 200 crore at Kolkata port in a container that had arrived at the port from Dubai in February this year. The contraband was concealed inside 12 gear boxes which were part of 7,220 kilograms of metal scrap sent from Dubai in a shipping container, said Gujarat Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia on Friday in Gandhinagar. “7,220 kilogram of metal scrap contained 36 gearboxes of which 12 gearboxes were marked with white ink. When the nut bolts were taken out and the gear boxes opened, 72 packets of heroin were found weighing 39.5 kilogram and worth Rs 197.82 crore,” DGP Bhatia said adding that the operation is still on. “The other gearboxes have been opened and the search operation is ongoing…Right now the focus is on the seizure.. Forensic analysis has confirmed that it is heroin,” he added.A DRI official refused to give details on whether any arrests have been made so far, stating that such details “may compromise the operation.”Meanwhile, a press note issued by DRI on Friday, elaborating the alleged modus operandi, stated, “The gears from the old and used gearboxes were removed and the plastic packets containing the narcotic substances were placed in the created cavity and the gearboxes were then refitted to avoid detection. These packets were shipped concealing inside the metal scrap along with other metal scraps so that it would go unnoticed by the authorities. Examination and seizure proceedings by DRI under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 are continuing…”“Very advanced methods are being used (to conceal the contraband). Sometimes (contraband) is mixed with rock salt, sometimes with mulethi (licorice), sometimes in scrap metal, in jute bags, textiles, PVC pipes etc,” added Bhatia.The DGP said Gujarat ATS has been working with several other agencies such as Indian Coast Guard, Narcotics Control Bureau Delhi, DRI, Punjab Police, Delhi Police, DRI Jamnagar.
AHMEDABAD: A joint team of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 39.5 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 197.82 crore from a container near the Kolkata port in West Bengal, an official said on Friday. The contraband was found concealed inside 12 gear boxes which were part of 7,220 kilograms of metal scrap sent from Jebel Ali Port in Dubai in a shipping container and it had reached Kolkata port in February, said Gujarat Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia in Gandhinagar. "Based on a specific tip-off received by Gujarat ATS, a joint team comprising officials from ATS and DRI raided a Container Freight Station near Kolkata port a few days ago and zeroed in on a container which had arrived there in February from Dubai," Bhatia told reporters. Of 36 gear boxes found in the metal scrap, 12 had markings of white ink, he said, adding that 72 packets of white powder were found when these gear boxes were opened. "A forensic analysis confirmed that the packets contained 39.5 kg of heroin worth Rs 197.82 crore in the international market. The probe is still on as officials have decided to open remaining gear boxes as well. Primary probe has revealed the container was meant to be re-exported to some other country from Kolkata," the DGP informed. In July this year, Gujarat ATS had seized 75.3 kg of heroin estimated to be worth over Rs 376.5 crore from a container near the Mundra port in Kutch district. The contraband was concealed inside fabric rolls and had been sent from the United Arab Emirates for further transportation to Punjab. In May this year, the DRI seized 56 kg of cocaine worth Rs 500 crore from a container near the Mundra port. In April, the DRI seized 205.6 kg heroin worth Rs 1,439 crore from a container near the Kandla port in Kutch. Around the same time, a joint operation of the Gujarat ATS and DRI led to the recovery of 90 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 450 crore from a shipping container that had arrived at Pipavav port in Amreli district from Iran. The DRI had in September last year seized nearly 3,000 kg of heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore in the global market, believed to have originated in Afghanistan, from two containers at the Mundra port.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested an Afghan national with 4 kg heroin worth Rs 20 crore in a joint operation carried out with Delhi crime branch in the national capital, an official said on Sunday.The ATS had received a tip-off that Vahidullah Rahimullah, an Afghan national living in Delhi NCR, was going to supply huge quantities of heroin in Vasant Kunj area on Friday night, a release issued by the probe agency stated.In a joint operation carried out with the Delhi crime branch, the place was raided around 11 pm to 11.30 pm. Rahimullah was arrested and 4 kg of the narcotic substance was seized from him, it stated.The seized contraband is worth Rs 20 crore in the international market, it said.An FIR was lodged against him by the Delhi crime branch under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, it said.The accused hails from Kandhar in Afghanistan and had come to India with his family in 2016 on a medical visa. He continued to stay back by extending the visa, the release further stated.
A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused.(Representational)New Delhi: Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) arrested an Afghan national with 4 kg of heroin worth Rs 20 crore from the Vasant Kunj area in the national capital, informed Gujarat Police on Sunday.The accused has been identified as Wadiullah Rahimulla."Based on the information provided by Surat Crime Branch unit to Gujarat ATS, an Afghani named Wadiullah Rahimulla was arrested with 4 kg of heroin from Vasant Kunj area of Delhi," said police.A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the accused.Earlier on Friday, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized 200 kg of ganja worth Rs 4 crore in Mumbai."210 kgs ganja worth Rs 4 crore and a vehicle used for transportation have been seized and one person arrested," said NCB officials.As per reports, the drug was being transported to Mumbai and adjoining areas.Assam Police had also seized a huge quantity of contraband drugs worth Rs 12 lakh and apprehended two drug peddlers in the Karimganj district on late Thursday night.Based on secret information, a team of Karimganj district police led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gitartha Dev Sarma launched an operation and intercepted a four-wheeler in the Bhanga area in the district and seized 131 grams of heroin and three packets of Yaba tablets weighing about 66 grams from the vehicle.Last month, the Assam Police had seized 92.550 kg of ganja and arrested one person.According to Police, the arrested person has been identified as Koilash Das.Earlier on August 27, the NCB carried out raids in the Ghatkopar area in Mumbai and arrested a 24-year-old youth.According to NCB, the arrested person, Subham Bhagat, is a gym trainer and used to smuggle drugs.NCB had received secret information and on the basis of that, raids were conducted at the house of Subham and recovered different types of drugs.NCB said it recovered ganja, charas, LSG paper and other drugs from his house.The NCB registered a case against him and presented him before the court. The court sent him to NCB custody for two days.PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.comNCB officials said that many more people are associated with Subham in the drug dealing and more arrests will soon be made.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) conducted raids in Ahmedabad, Surat, Navsari and Bharuch and detained multiple people for questioning as part of nationwide coordinated raids against an alleged terror module Sunday.According to Gujarat ATS officials, a combined team of NIA and ATS raided different locations in the four cities Sunday. Police said the raid started in Surat city Saturday night and on Sunday morning, different teams raided locations in Ahmedabad, Navsari and Bharuch.Shahpur and Dariyapur areas in Ahmedabad were raided by the combined teams. “In an ongoing investigation, NIA has conducted raids at four different places, i.e., Ahmedabad, Surat, Navsari and Bharuch. Questioning of three persons is going on,” said a senior Gujarat ATS official.
On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) claimed to have seized cash worth Rs 27.90 crore and around 6 kg of gold from a flat belonging to former actor Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee, who is under arrest for a school jobs scam. Speaking to The Indian Express, an ED official said the “counting went on for several hours”.The seizure, the ED said, included cash worth Rs 27.9 crore (Rs 2,000 notes packed into bundles of Rs 50 lakh each, and Rs 500 notes packed into bundles of Rs 20 lakh each), gold and jewellery worth Rs 4.31 crore (3 gold bricks of 1 kg each, 6 bangles of 500 gram each among other jewellery and one gold pen).In an earlier raid on another of Mukherjee’s flats located in Tollygunge in south Kolkata, ED officials said they had found cash running to nearly Rs 20 crore, along with more than 50 lakh in foreign currency, 20 mobile phones and a cache of incriminating documents.A look at some raids that made news in the past.*July 2022On July 6, the Income Tax (I-T) department raided over 40 premises in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai in connection with two Tamil Nadu-based business groups and detected “undisclosed” income of more than Rs 500 crore. It said the groups were “suppressing” their taxable income by claiming bogus purchases and expenses.* March 2022The I-T department claimed to have stumbled upon undisclosed income worth Rs 224.25 crore from a Pune-based start-up, whose annual turnover was estimated to be over Rs 5,000 crore, dealing with construction material. Officials at the time said this was the largest such find from a Pune company, especially a start-up. A total of 14 search and nine survey operations were carried out on company premises in Mumbai, Thane, Pune Noida, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nashik, Sangli and Indore.* December 2021Officials from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Department recovered Rs 150 crore from across multiple locations in Kanpur, allegedly linked to businessman Piyush Jain, who dealt with pan masala and perfumes.At the time, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Chairman Vivek Johri said it was the biggest recovery ever in the history of the department.* December 2016I-T officials claimed to have found Rs 5.7 crore in then newly-introduced Rs 2,000 currency notes in a secret compartment in a bathroom wall at the home of KC Veerendra, a JD (S) member.Veerendra, two of his associates, unidentified officials of the SBI, SBM, ICICI and Kotak Mahindra Banks and an RBI official were arrested.*August 2015The Anti-Corruption Bureau claimed to have recovered cash worth Rs 20.07 crore, bank and post office deposit certificates of Rs 58 lakh and jewellery worth Rs 14 lakh from the house of a sub-assistant engineer employed with the Bally municipality, Pranab Adhikary. He and his son Tanmay were subsequently arrested. The same year, the Bally municipality was merged with the Howrah Municipal Corporation. CPM’s Arunava Lahiri was also raided as part of the probe.*November 2014Income-Tax officials raided premises connected to Yadav Singh, the engineer-in-chief of Noida Authority and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority, to investigate alleged tax evasion while selling plots in Noida.I-T officials claimed to have seized over 2 kg of gold and diamond jewellery and Rs 10 lakh in cash from Singh’s house. They also seized Rs 10 crore that they found in an SUV, the key to which was reportedly found at the residence of Rajendra Minocha, a director of Mcconn Infra Private Limited. Yadav’s wife Kusumlata was director of this firm till 2012-13.Additionally, Rs 40 lakh was seized from the residence of Anil Peshawari, a partner in Meenu Creations, a designer attire firm that had Kusumlata as the board of directors, and Rs 40 lakh in cash from Meenu Creations’ office.*August 2014The I-T department claimed to have seized nearly Rs 390 crore cash during searches at properties linked to three builders — Amey Builders and Property Developers, Swastik Spaces Limited and MAAD Group of Companies — in Mumbai. One of the builders was said to be a relative of Hitendra Thakur, a former MLC.As per officers, the search and seizures began in the end of July and continued till August first week, and involved 120 officers. They searched around 60 office spaces and residential premises of construction companies.* October 1989Income tax officers in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzzafarnagar and Bijnor raided nine premises linked to steel and paper mill owner Harish Chhabra and jeweller Chittaranjan Swarup in order to recover cash around Rs 2 crore, as per reports.* July 1981For about three nights and two days, about 90 officers conducted simultaneous raids in different properties connected to former MP and industrialist Sardar Inder Singh’s family members in Kanpur. Additionally, factories linked to Singh were sealed. A total of Rs 92 lakh, 250 tolas of gold worth Rs 11 lakh, two gold bars worth Rs 9.12 lakh, jewellery worth Rs 7.54 lakh, 144 guineas of Rs 1.85 lakh and fixed deposits worth Rs 7.04 lakh were obtained according to reports.
AHMEDABAD: A Rajasthan-based gangster, wanted in more than 30 cases including murder and jail-break, has been arrested by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) in Ahmedabad, officials said on Tuesday. Acting on a tip-off, an ATS team laid a trap at Hirawadi crosroads in the city on Monday evening and nabbed Arvind Singh Bika, a native of Gulabgunj village in Sirohi district of Rajasthan, an official release said. Bika was on the run after escaping from prison in Deesa town in Gujarat's Banaskantha district in 2017. Two pistols, a country-made gun and five live cartridges were seized from his possession, it added. A fresh case under the Arms Act was registered against Bika who is wanted in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Kerala in 35 criminal cases, the ATS release said. His gang, consisting of around 15 persons, was involved in serious crimes like murder, loot, theft, extortion, jail-break and firing on police to free gang members, it said. Bika was also fond of posting threatening videos and photos on social media where he posed with weapons, it added. In 2016, Bika allegedly opened fire on a Rajasthan police team near Aburoad and freed murder accused Surendrasinh Novi from their custody. In the same year, Bika and his gang robbed an employee of an angadia (courier) firm in Kalupur area of Ahmedabad. Later, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Rajasthan for firing on a youngster in Sirohi. In 2017, he was arrested by Gujarat Police for a bank robbery in Dhanera town of Banaskantha district, but he escaped from Deesa jail and had been on the run since then. In 2018, Bika and his gang robbed an angadia firm employee, a petrol pump and an employee of a cooperative society in different parts of Gujarat, the ATS said.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a Rajasthan-based gangster, who was wanted in 35 criminal cases, including murder, across three states in India.According to ATS officials, Arvind Singh Bika, a resident of Sirohi in Rajasthan, was arrested from Hirawadi Char Rasta in Ahmedabad on Monday evening. Bika is wanted in over 35 criminal cases in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Kerala, including murder, attempt to murder, loot, assault, rioting, robbery, extortion, jail break, assaulting police personnel, firing upon police teams etc. Two pistols and live ammunition were recovered from him, police said.“A team detained Bika from Hirawadi Char Rasta. The accused used to run a 15-member gang in Rajasthan and has been involved in over 35 criminal cases. He is often seen posting threatening videos on social media with him posing with weapons,” a senior official of Gujarat ATS said.According to the police, Bika was arrested in 2016-17 for looting a bank in Dhanera taluka of Banaskantha. However, he broke out of Deesa jail in 2017 and has been on the run since.
Udaipur: Three men who had attacked police constable Sandeep Choudhary in Bhim on June 29 have been brought to Rajsamand following their arrest in Vadodara by Rajsamand police with the help of Gujarat ATS on Friday. Cases under National Security Act (NSA) and Rajasthan Prevention of Anti-social Activities Act (RAJPASA) have been registered against them. Rajsamand SP Sudhir Choudhary said the three accused were involved in the attack on the police constable during an agitation on June 29. TNN
The Gujarat anti-terrorist squad (ATS) arrested three persons allegedly involved in grievously injuring a police constable in Bhim of Rajsamand in Rajasthan during violent protests that took place in the wake of Udaipur killing.According to Gujarat ATS officials, the three accused identified as Mahavir alias Gujjar Don, Balveer alias Veer and Shravan alias Villain were held by a team from a remote location in Vadodara.According to the police, the three accused were allegedly involved in striking a sword at the neck of Rajasthan police constable Sandeep Chaudhary in Bhim during a protest demonstration against the terror killing of a Hindu tailor by two accused persons in Udaipur.“On June 29, there were protests held across Rajasthan due to the killing in Udaipur. During the protest demonstration in Bhim, a few anti social elements had started rioting and attacking policemen on duty with stone pelting and sharp weapons. In that regard, constable Chaudhary was attacked with a sword and he remains in critical condition in a hospital in Ajmer. The three accused were held from Limda in Waghodia of Vadodara based on specific input. The accused will be handed over to Rajsamand police,” said a senior official of Gujarat ATS.On June 28, two accused — Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad — hacked to death victim Kanhaiya Lal Teli, a tailor, at his shop in Udaipur, allegedly over a post shared by Kanhaiya Lal on social media in support of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma who allegedly made a blasphemous comment against Prophet Mohammad during a live television debate. The two accused Akhtari and Mohammad were held shortly after the murder by Rajasthan Police, even as gruesome videos made by them, allegedly for the purpose of terrorism, went viral on social media. Later, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed the NIA to take over the case.
THE Gujarat government has announced a special investigation team to probe charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery, among others, against former DGP RB Sreekumar, activist Teesta Setalvad and ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. The three were charged following a Supreme Court order upholding a clean chit to the Modi government in the 2002 riots, which passed strictures against the three. The FIR against the three quotes extensively from the Supreme Court order.A profile of the SIT:Deepan Bhadran: The head of the team, the 41-year-old police officer is a native of Kerala and an IPS officer of the 2007 batch. A B.Tech in Electronics Engineering, he has served at various crucial positions in the Gujarat Police, including the much-coveted DCP, Crime, Ahmedabad, post from 2015 to 2020, and as in-charge SP of the Gujarat ATS. During his Ahmedabad stint, he upgraded policing skills with crucial software inputs.As DCP, Crime, among the cases he handled was the assassination attempt on former home minister Gordhan Zadafia, and tracing of the Tablighi Jamaat workers who had attended a Delhi congregation ahead of the Covid pandemic, and a Jet Airways threat letter case.In September 2020, Bhadran was transferred as the SP of Jamnagar to deal with land mafia in the city. The move was welcomed on Twitter by Reliance Industries Director, Corporate Affairs, and Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani, who said, “Your posting here will give a great relief to the law-abiding citizens, land owners, builders, businessmen, traders & factory owners of the area.” Jamnagar is home to the Reliance refinery and several critical installations.Bhadran’s biggest achievement in the posting was busting of a land mafia gang led by Jayesh Patel, whose several members were arrested before Patel himself was detained by Interpol in London in March 2021.This led to Bhadran being promoted as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), ATS, Ahmedabad headquarters. It was done by upgrading the vacant ex-cadre post of SP, ATS, to the vacant ex-cadre post of DIG, ATS in December 2021.Chaitanya Mandalik: Also a B.Tech, in Civil Engineering, Mandlik, 36, is an IPS of 2011 batch. Originally from Maharashtra, he had ruffled a few feathers as a probationary officer in 2013 when he had busted a gambling den of a BJP member in Rajkot and then led a raid against the same leader’s godown to seize liquor worth Rs 1 crore.Mandlik served as ASP, Diyodar, Banaskantha, in 2015; SP, Mehsana, from 2016 to 2018; and SP, Sabarkantha, till 2021. During his time in Mehsana and Sabarkantha, Mandlik was credited with controlling law and order following the Patidar agitation. In January 2021, he was transferred as DCP, Crime, Ahmedabad.Sunil Joshi: An IPS officer of 2010 batch, the 37-year-old Joshi served as SP, Valsad, from 2016 to 2020, and later as SP, Devbhoomi Dwarka. In November 2021, while he was posted at Devbhoomi Dwarka, he had seized Rs 313 crore worth of drugs, leading to the arrest of three people. As a promotion posting, he was transferred to the ATS last year.B C Solanki: A state cadre officer, Solanki, 61, retired last year as Assistant Commissioner of Police, Special Operations Group (SOG), Ahmedabad, and is currently on extension. He has been named the investigating officer in the Teesta-Sreekumar-Bhatt case. Solanki was part of the Supreme Court-appointed SIT that probed the 2002 Gujarat riot cases (it was the clean chit by the SIT that was upheld by the Supreme Court) and, in 2018, while posted as ACP, SOG, probed allegations against Setalvad’s organisation Citizens for Justice and Peace of illegally exhuming bodies related to the 2002 riots.P G Vaghela: Deputy SP Vaghela was among the 18 officers who investigated the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts which led to the death of 56 people. A court recently convicted 49 people for the blasts, with death sentences to 38. The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) team including Vaghela, 56, led by now Gujarat DGP Ashish Bhatia, had made the first arrest after 19 days of investigation, including tracking lakhs of cellphone calls.A D Parmar: Parmar, 61, retired as an inspector and is currently on extension. He was also part of the Supreme Court-appointed SIT which probed the Gujarat riots, and later served in the SOG of Ahmedabad Police and the Crime Branch.Hiral Raval: A police inspector with the Ahmedabad DCB, Raval, who is in his late 20s, is a direct recruit in the Gujarat Police through GPSC.
The Gujarat government has announced a special investigative team to probe charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery, among others, against former DGP R B Sreekumar, activist Teesta Setalvad and ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. The three were charged following a Supreme Court order upholding a clean chit to the Modi government in the 2002 riots, which passed strictures against the three. The FIR against the three quotes extensively from the Supreme Court order.A profile of the SITDeepan Bhadran: The head of the team, the 41-year-old police officer is a native of Kerala and an IPS officer of the 2007 batch. A B.Tech in Electronics Engineering, he has served at various crucial positions in the Gujarat Police, including the much-coveted DCP, Crime, Ahmedabad, post from 2015 to 2020, and as in-charge SP of the Gujarat ATS. During his Ahmedabad stint, he upgraded policing skills with crucial software inputs.As DCP, Crime, among the cases he handled was the assassination attempt on former home minister Gordhan Zadafia, and tracing of the Tablighi Jamaat workers who had attended a Delhi congregation ahead of the Covid pandemic, and a Jet Airways threat letter case.In September 2020, Bhadran was transferred as the SP of Jamnagar to deal with land mafia in the city. The move was welcomed on Twitter by Reliance Industries Director, Corporate Affairs, and Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani, who said, “Your posting here will give a great relief to the law-abiding citizens, land owners, builders, businessmen, traders & factory owners of the area.” Jamnagar is home to the Reliance refinery and several critical installations.Bhadran’s biggest achievement in the posting was busting of a land mafia gang led by Jayesh Patel, whose several members were arrested before Patel himself was detained by Interpol in London in March 2021.This led to Bhadran being promoted as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), ATS, Ahmedabad Headquarters. It was done by upgrading the vacant ex-cadre post of SP, ATS, to the vacant ex-cadre post of DIG, ATS in December 2021.Chaitanya Mandalik: Also a B.Tech, in Civil Engineering, Mandlik, 36, is an IPS of 2011 batch. Originally from Maharashtra, he had ruffled a few feathers as a probationary officer in 2013 when he had busted a gambling den of a BJP member in Rajkot and then led a raid against the same leader’s godown to seize liquor worth Rs 1 crore.Mandlik served as ASP, Diyodar, Banaskantha, in 2015; SP, Mehsana, from 2016 to 2018; and SP, Sabarkantha, till 2021. During his time in Mehsana and Sabarkantha, Mandlik was credited with controlling law and order following the Patidar agitation. In January 2021, he was transferred as DCP, Crime, Ahmedabad.Sunil Joshi: An IPS officer of 2010 batch, the 37-year-old Joshi served as SP, Valsad, from 2016 to 2020, and later as SP, Devbhoomi Dwarka. In November 2021, while he was posted at Devbhoomi Dwarka, he had seized Rs 313 crore worth of drugs, leading to the arrest of three people. As a promotion posting, he was transferred to the ATS last year.B C Solanki: A state cadre officer, Solanki, 61, retired last year as Assistant Commissioner of Police, Special Operations Group (SOG), Ahmedabad, and is currently on extension. He has been named the investigating officer in the Teesta-Sreekumar-Bhatt case. Solanki was part of the Supreme Court-appointed SIT that probed the 2002 Gujarat riot cases (it was the clean chit by the SIT that was upheld by the Supreme Court) and, in 2018, while posted as ACP, SOG, probed allegations against Setalvad’s organisation Citizens for Justice and Peace of illegally exhuming bodies related to the 2002 riots.P G Vaghela: Deputy SP Vaghela was among the 18 officers who investigated the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts which led to the death of 56 people. A court recently convicted 49 people for the blasts, with death sentences to 38. The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) team including Vaghela, 56, led by now Gujarat DGP Ashish Bhatia, had made the first arrest after 19 days of investigation, including tracking lakhs of cellphone calls.A D Parmar: Parmar, 61, retired as an inspector and is currently on extension. He was also part of the Supreme Court-appointed SIT which probed the Gujarat riots, and later served in the SOG of Ahmedabad Police and the Crime Branch.Hiral Raval: A police inspector with the Ahmedabad DCB, Raval, who is in his late 20s, is a direct recruit in the Gujarat Police through GPSC.
