Shocker! ED attaches chimpanzees, marmosets under PMLA
New Delhi, Sep 21: Believe it or not, the ED has attached three chimpanzees and four marmosets as part of a money laundering probe against a wildlife smuggler of West Bengal.
The central agency, which probes serious money laundering crimes, said the chimpanzees that were seized by customs from the smuggler's house were being kept at the Alipore Zoological Garden in Kolkata.
They have become a major attraction for visitors and hence, a source of revenue too, it said, adding that the marmosets were being kept at an animal shelter.
The agency said the first-of-its-kind attachment under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) "enabled" the zoo authorities to retain the animals as the smuggler was making attempts to take them away.
An attachment by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) renders an asset out of bounds for its owner and it can be further confiscated by the agency after the Adjudicating Authority of the PMLA, a quasi-judicial body, approves the attachment within 180 days.
The agency said the seven animals are valued at Rs 81 lakh, with each chimpanzee worth Rs 25 lakh and a marmoset, a species of small long-tailed South American monkeys, about Rs 1.5 lakh.
The case pertains to West Bengal government's complaint against alleged smuggler Supradip Guha for "illegal possession" of wild animals.
The ED said the state police had booked Guha for "forgery and using forged documents as genuine as he was found using a forged permission letter to illegally transport the wildlife birds purportedly issued by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, WildLife and Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal."
It took over the case under PMLA based on this police FIR.
The ED said its probe found Guha was "running an organised wildlife smuggling racket".
He is a clever criminal and recorded contradictory statements before the customs authorities and wildlife authorities to evade action from both the departments, it alleged.
Guha also obtained fake certificates regarding birth of the three chimpanzees in India, ED said.
"This attachment has enabled the zoo authorities to keep the animals with them. The action by the ED will deter dealers against indulging in illegal trade of animals and wildlife," it said.
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Instagram removes BJP’s post claiming Cong ‘will snatch wealth of non-muslims’ following backlash
New Delhi: An animated video post shared on BJP’s official Instagram handle, asserting that the Congress party would snatch wealth from non-Muslims to ‘distribute it to its favorite community of invaders,’ has sparked significant backlash. Following the uproar, the photo sharing platform has taken down the post, reports Newslaundry.com.
Meanwhile, it is uncertain whether the post was removed by the BJP or by Instagram following mass reporting by several users as “misinformation” and “hate speech”. The video depicted Rahul Gandhi holding the Congress manifesto which transforms into the logo of the Muslim league. Furthermore, it sought support for PM Modi from every ‘Bharatiya,’ who is also shown wearing a saffron turban.
According to the report, it also contained a clip of PM Modi alleging that the former PM Manmohan Singh had said, “Muslims have the first claim on our resources,” insinuating that if the Congress were to assume power, it would confiscate the money and assets of non-Muslims, redistributing them to Muslims, whom it favored. Labeling Muslims as ‘infiltrators’, the video depicted historical invaders as looters who plundered India's resources and suggested that the Congress party continues to empower individuals from the same community.
The video then communicated that the Congress party’s manifesto is “nothing but Muslim league’s ideology in disguise. If you are a non-Muslim, Congress will snatch your wealth and distribute it to Muslims.” It also slinged the BJP’s official slogan ‘abki baar, 400 paar,’ and called that it was the need of the hour, since Modi only has the “strength to stop the Congress party’s evil plans.”
Similar claims have also been made by several BJP leaders. Recently, Union Minister Anurag Thakur stated that the Congress intends to “Give your children's property to Muslims.”
