ED attaches properties of executive engineer in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Jan 13: The Enforcement Directorate has attached properties worth Rs 1.92 crore of a Karnataka executive engineer under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, according to an agency press release.
The ED said it initiated investigation under the act against L Raghu, an executive engineer in the national highways, based on an FIR and charge sheet filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta, it stated.
Raghu had allegedly acquired disproportionate assets from 1987 to 2012, the release said.
"Investigation conducted by the ED (Enforcement Directorate) revealed that the accused has illegally acquired 11 immovable properties in Bengaluru and Mandya districts of Karnataka, while working as a public servant in various capacities," the agency said in the release.
The ED said these immovable properties comprise plots, residential and commercial properties worth Rs 1.92 crore, which were generated out of proceeds of crime. Hence, they have been provisionally attached under PMLA, it said.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
