ED raids residence of former minister Roshan Baig
New Delhi/Bengaluru, Aug 5: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted searches against former Karnataka minister R Roshan Baig and a Congress MLA in connection with a money laundering investigation into the alleged Rs 4,000 IMA ponzi scam, officials said.
They said multiple premises of Baig and his associates are being raided by the agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Two of his premises in Shivajinagar of Bengaluru and that of Congress MLA from Chamrajpet in Bengaluru, B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, and a travel company linked to him are being searched.
Searches were also conducted in some locations in Mumbai.
The Congress MLA is stated to have had a purported property transaction with then MD of IMA Group Mansoor Khan. This transaction was declared by Zameer Ahmed Khan in his election affidavit.
Baig, earlier arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in this case, was suspended from the Congress after the alleged scam came to light.
Baig is out on bail at present.
The Enforcement Directorate action is linked to its probe in the 4000-crore I-Monetary Advisor (IMA) alleged ponzi scam case, taking cognisance of a CBI FIR and a charge sheet.
The CBI, in April, had filed a charge sheet before a special CBI court in Bengaluru and had named Baig, Mansoor Khan, IMA Group and Baig's company Daanish Publications and others.
"It was alleged that the accused former minister received several crores of rupees from IMA funds for election expenditure.
"It was further alleged that the accused was also utilising the said funds for day-to-day expenditure, including salaries of employees of his firm. It was also alleged that the accused has spent the funds for various social and cultural activities in his constituency to increase his popularity," a CBI spokesperson had said in a statement post the filing of the charge sheet.
The alleged IMA scam pertains to over Rs 4,000 crore collected by IMA Group from over a lakh gullible investors in the name of providing attractive returns on investment following Islamic ways.
The CBI has alleged that the money was diverted to Baig, a minister in the erstwhile Congress government, led by Siddaramaiah, so that the IMA Group could continue its illegal activities, CBI officials had said.
The CBI had registered four cases in connection with the scam and has filed multiple charge sheets against 33 accused, including Khan, company directors, several revenue and police officials.
"It was alleged that the said Group had raised unauthorised deposits and cheated the public by failing to repay the principal and as well as the promised returns.
"These funds were allegedly diverted for acquiring properties, paying bribe amounts, etc. Several properties, including moveable and immovable, were identified and attached under KPIDFE (Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments) Act, 2004 by the competent authority," the CBI had said.
Bengaluru: Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducts raid at the residence of former Karnataka Minister & Congress leader Roshan Baig, in connection with I-Monetary Advisory investment scam
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2021
Visuals from the spot. pic.twitter.com/uxJjaK1f01
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BCI urges SCBA, SCAORA to accord farewell to retiring SC judge Bela Trivedi
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New Delhi (PTI): The Bar Council of India on Friday urged the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association to organise an official farewell ceremony for Justice Bela M Trivedi.
Earlier in the day, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, while presiding over ceremonial bench proceedings conducted to bid farewell to Justice Trivedi, deprecated the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for not holding the usual function for the retiring judge.
"I must deprecate openly, because I believe in speaking plainly... The association (SCBA) ought not to have taken such a stand," the CJI said.
As a matter of practice, the SCBA holds farewell functions for retiring apex court judges. An exceptional decision was taken in Justice Trivedi's case, possibly because of some decisions that went against the lawyers affiliated to the bar body.
Manan Kumar Mishra, the chairperson of Bar Council of India (BCI), wrote to SCBA president Kapil Sibal and Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) head Vipin Nair to express deep concern over not holding a farewell function for Justice Trivedi.
"The denial of a farewell to a judge of such stature raises questions about the institutional values that we, as a collective body of legal professionals, stand for.
"To ignore her contributions and deny her the respect she rightfully deserves is to diminish the very principles of equity, fairness and integrity that Justice Trivedi has ardently upheld throughout her illustrious career," the BCI chairperson said.
The BCI further acknowledged the pivotal role of both SCBA and SCAORA in shaping the ethos of the legal community and said, "The SCBA and SCAORA have for long exemplified leadership, wisdom and a deep sense of institutional responsibility.
"Your actions resonate far beyond the walls of the Supreme Court and serve as guiding lights for the legal fraternity and the nation at large."
The BCI emphasised that a farewell is not a matter of mere ceremony, but a reaffirmation of the collective commitment to the values and traditions that uphold the dignity of the judiciary.
"Institutions are sustained by traditions, and traditions are upheld by the respect we accord to those who serve them with distinction and honour.
"We humbly urge the SCBA and SCAORA to uphold this tradition, and offer Justice Trivedi the farewell she deserves, as a gesture of institutional gratitude and respect," Mishra said.
Justice Trivedi, the 11th woman judge to be appointed in the history of the apex court, was elevated to the top court on August 31, 2021, where spent over three years.
Though Justice Trivedi would have demitted office on June 9, 2025, Friday marked her last day in office owing to a personal commitment.
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