The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear the petition of journalist Rana Ayyub difficult the summons issued to her by a particular PMLA courtroom in Ghaziabad in a cash laundering case lodged in opposition to her by the ED.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha agreed to hear the plea on January 23, after advocate Vrinda Grover, showing for Ayyub, urged the courtroom for pressing itemizing.
Grover stated the summons has been issued by the particular courtroom in Ghaziabad in opposition to Ayyub for January 27 and due to this fact the matter be listed urgently.
In her writ petition, Ayyub has sought quashing of the proceedings initiated by the ED in Ghaziabad citing lack of jurisdiction because the alleged offence of cash laundering occurred in Mumbai.
On November 29 final yr, the particular PMLA courtroom in Ghaziabad had taken cognizance of the prosecution criticism filed by the Enforcement Directorate and summoned Ayyub.
It had famous that the prosecution criticism (ED model of cost sheet) underneath part 45 learn with part 44 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 for the fee of offences of cash laundering has been filed by Sanjeet Kumar Sahu, Assistant Director of Enforcement, Delhi.
“I have perused the above mentioned prosecution complaint and have also gone through the prosecution papers as well as documents including statements. From the perusal of entire record there is sufficient evidence as to a prima facie case for taking cognizance against Ms. Rana Ayyub with regard to commission of offence…”, the particular courtroom choose stated.
The particular courtroom has famous the alleged offence pertains to acquiring illegally cash from common public in the title of charity through ‘Ketto’ platform (a web-based crowdfunding platform) in three campaigns with none form of approval, elevating large quantities in the checking account of her sister and father and later transferring the identical to her personal checking account which was not used for the supposed goal.
She has been accused of buying proceeds of crime and creating belongings for herself.
On October 12 final yr, the ED had filed a cost sheet in opposition to Ayyub, accusing her of dishonest the general public and utilising charity funds price Rs 2.69 crore for creating her private belongings, and in addition violating the international contribution legislation.
“Rana Ayyub launched three fundraiser charity campaigns on the ‘Ketto platform’ ranging from April 2020 and picked up funds totalling Rs 2,69,44,680,” the ED had said in a statement.
The campaigns, it had said, were meant to raise funds for slum dwellers and farmers, relief work for Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra, and help Ayyub and her team to help those impacted by COVID-19 in India.
The probe found that the funds raised on the online platforms were received in the accounts of Ayyub’s father and sister and subsequently transferred to her personal accounts, the ED alleged.
“Ayyub utilised these funds to create a fixed deposit of Rs 50 lakh for herself and also transferred Rs 50 lakh to a new bank account. Investigations found that only about Rs 29 lakh was used for relief work,” it had claimed.
“In order to declare extra bills in direction of reduction work, pretend payments had been submitted by Ayyub and subsequently, financial institution balances in the accounts of Ayyub amounting to Rs 1,77,27,704 (together with FD of Rs 50 Lakh) had been hooked up underneath the PMLA vide a provisional attachment order dated February 4, 2022,” it had said.
The ED had initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered on September 7, 2021 by the Indirapuram Police Station of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh under various sections of the IPC, Information Technology Amendment Act 2008 and Black Money Act against Ayyub.
It was also alleged that Ayyub received foreign contributions without registration under FCRA.
On August 17 last year, the Delhi High Court had restrained the ED from proceeding further with the provisional attachment of funds in connection with the alleged money laundering probe against her.
On April 4 last year, the Delhi High Court had allowed Ayyub to travel abroad while questioning the ED over a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against her barring her from travelling abroad.
Ayyub was stopped by the ED from taking a flight to London from the Mumbai airport in March as the agency had then opened a ‘Look out Circular’ against her.
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