HC refuses to direct ED to interrogate PFI members in Kerala in money laundering case
New Delhi(PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to direct the ED to record in Kerala statements of Popular Front of India (PFI) members in a money laundering case, saying a court cannot dictate the mode and manner of an investigation.
Hearing a plea against summons issued to three PFI members to appear before the ED in Delhi, Justice Anu Malhotra said if there were any restrictions on the persons travelling to the national capital on account of the pandemic, the central agency would conduct the interrogation at its zonal office in Kerala.
"Court cannot direct manner and mode of investigation. That is not the job of the court. At the moment, there is no restriction (on travel)," the court said.
"In the event of there being any travel restrictions from Kerala to Delhi, the respondent (ED) is directed to conduct interrogation in Kerala at the zonal office," it ordered.
The court also refused to direct the ED to place before it the reasons pursuant to which a search operation was carried out in the case earlier this month in Kerala.
"Currently, the same (seeking reasons) is not considered appropriate as there is no stay on the investigation," the court stated as it noted that the PFI's petition challenging the case as well as the application seeking a stay on the investigation was pending adjudication.
On December 8, the court had sought the ED's response on the PFI's plea challenging a money laundering case registered by the agency in 2018 following an NIA case concerning the alleged training of youngsters in Kerala for carrying out anti-national activities.
Lawyer Amit Mahajan, appearing for the ED, argued that the summoned members cannot direct the agency as to how the investigation is to be conducted.
He added that whenever a person expresses a genuine difficulty in coming to the national capital for interrogation and the same does not hamper the investigation, such concerns are considered by the agency.
Lawyer Adit Pujari, representing the PFI, stated that search operations were conducted by the agency earlier this month in Kerala and summons were issued to three members to appear in Delhi.
He sought a direction to the central agency to conduct the interrogation at its Kerala zonal office on account of concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19, as well as the fact that the members were not residents of Delhi or well-versed with the local language.
The lawyer had earlier submitted before the court that over 150 summons were received by several of its members from across the country for a "roving and fishing inquiry" in the case by the ED.
The matter will be heard next in February.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
