Anti-corruption

Cyril Cabanes faces US SEC charges: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act explained

Cyril Cabanese is charged alongside Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani, in connection to a bribery scheme that misled US investors in a September 2021 bond offering that raised $175 million

CVC flags 34 non-compliance major cases in action against corruption

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has flagged 34 major cases of non-compliance by government departments, which diluted its advice of acting against "corrupt" officials. In some cases, these "corrupt" officials were either exonerated or punishment against them were diluted by the departments concerned, according to the CVC's annual report 2023. Of the total, a highest of seven cases involved are under the coal ministry, five in the State Bank of India (SBI), four in the IDBI Bank, three under the steel ministry and two each under the power ministry and NBCC (India) Limited, it said. One such instance each was in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), the Ministry of Railways, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) among others, according to the report. One each case of deviation from the CVC's advice was also from the ...

Corrupt but 'kind' Gujarat officials allow victims to pay bribes via EMI

In 2023, the Gujarat Police had the highest reported instances of bribery for the fifth consecutive year since 2019

Secret billionaire unmasked in Kazakhstan's fraud hunt caused by riots

Kazakhstan is on a mission to uproot corruption because it's holding back economic development, said Askhat Zhumagali, head of the anti-corruption agency that oversees the crackdown

Noida once 'centre of corruption', now known for its biz growth: Rajnath

Noida was once known as "centre of corruption" but it has now transformed into "centre of business" due to efforts of the double-engine government of the BJP, senior party leader Rajnath Singh said in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Tuesday. Criminals once dominated this region in western Uttar Pradesh, even forcing people to migrate but all that has now become a thing of the past, the defence minister also said as he slammed previous non-BJP governments in the state. Singh was speaking at an election rally at Bisaha village in Greater Noida while canvassing support for BJP's Gautam Buddh Nagar Lok Sabha candidate Mahesh Sharma ahead of the April 26 voting. "You people know very well about Noida. There was a time when Noida was the centre of corruption for the politicians of Uttar Pradesh. It was said for the officers, too, that if there is any biggest centre of corruption, it is Noida," he said. "But today I can say with pride that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ch

Japan PM vows no more fundraising parties at hearing over funds scandal

Japan's beleaguered prime minister was set to stand before a political ethics committee on Thursday at Parliament in a bid to showcase his leadership. Fumio Kishida has fought against plummeting support ratings since his governing party's corruption scandal rocked the government. The scandal, considered the biggest in decades, centres on political funds raised through party event tickets bought by individuals, companies and organisations. It led to 10 people lawmakers and their aides being indicted in January. While Kishida himself is not the focus of the scandal and was not even invited to the hearing, the surprise announcement of his personal appearance broke a deadlock between the opposition lawmakers and his governing party on Wednesday when the five implicated attendants refused to go public, holding up a hearing and further tarnishing the party image. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's resistance to have a fully open session fuelled public criticism that Kishida's party i

65,000 'ghost patients' underwent tests at Mohalla clinics in Delhi: ACB

A preliminary inquiry by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government has revealed that 65000 ghost patients underwent pathological tests at the Mohalla clinics through private labs during 11 months of 2023, officials said on Saturday. Two private labs conducted nearly 22 lakh tests during February-December, 2023, out of which 65000 were found to be fake, they said. The labs were paid Rs 4.63 crore by the government for the tests conducted by them, they said. Last month, Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the reports of irregularities in lab tests conducted at the Mohalla clinics. The ministry of home affairs has directed the CBI to undertake investigation in the matter. The private labs conducted tests allegedly on ghost patients who never visited any Mohalla Clinic, claimed an ACB official. "It also emerged that the Lab Management Information System (LIMS), containing the name and mobile number of the patients, was also developed, operated and

Jharkhand CM Soren receives fresh summons from ED in money-laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for questioning in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam on Saturday

ED records voice sample of Sujay Krishna Bhadra in school jobs scam case

Enforcement Directorate sleuths on Thursday collected voice samples of Sujay Krishna Bhadra, one of the arrested accused in the school jobs scam, an ED official said. Bhadra, popularly known as 'Kalighat er Kaku' (uncle from Kalighat), is said to be close to the top leaders of the ruling TMC and was allegedly a key official in a couple of companies linked to them. The recording will be sent to Central Forensic Laboratory. Along with the recorded voice samples of Bhadra, the ED will also send the recordings they had collected as evidence while investigating the scam for the purpose of "matching", the official told PTI. His voice was recorded at the ESI Hospital at Joka here after being taken from the SSKM Hospital on Wednesday night. "The accused's voice was recorded at night at the ESI Joka Hospital. The samples were collected by our officers in the presence of two independent witnesses," he told PTI. About eight ED officers, one forensic expert and one technician were present in

Ecuador arrests 6 in prez candidate Villavicencio assassination case

The six men arrested as suspects in the assassination of an anti-corruption Ecuadorian presidential candidate are Colombian nationals, a police report said Thursday as authorities investigated the motive for a crime that shocked a nation already reeling from a surge in drug-related violence. The six men were captured hiding in a house in Quito, Ecuador's capital, said the report, which was reviewed by The Associated Press. Officers also seized four shotguns, a 5.56-mm rifle, ammunition and three grenades, along with a vehicle and a motorcycle, it said. Fernando Villavicencio, 59, who was known for speaking up against drug cartels, was assassinated in Quito on Wednesday, less than two weeks before a special presidential election. He was not a front-runner, but his death deepened the sense of crisis around organised crime that has already claimed thousands of lives and underscored the challenge that Ecuador's next leader will face. Ecuador's interior minister, Juan Zapata, had earlier

Munesh Gurjar to be interrogated in bribery case by anti-corruption bureau

The now suspended mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation-Heritage is "directly linked" to husband's bribery case and will be interrogated by the ACB

Punjab govt's anti-corruption helpline receives close to 8,000 complaints

The Punjab government's 'anti-corruption action line' has received close to 8,000 complaints since March 2022, an official statement said on Sunday. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched the helpline number in March 2022 that allows people to upload video/audio proof of officials asking for bribes or indulging in malpractices. The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), in its relentless pursuit of eradicating corruption, has made remarkable progress in its recent anti-corruption campaign, said an official statement. "From March 23, 2022, to the present date, the chief minister's anti-corruption action line (ACAL) has received a staggering 7,939 complaints accompanied by necessary evidence, signifying the unwavering commitment of the Punjab government to promote transparency and accountability in public administration," said the statement issued here. A spokesperson of the bureau said it is fully dedicated to its mission of eradicating corruption and encourages citizens to continue utilising

Over 1000 youths, students participate in anti-corruption rally in Nepal

Over a thousand youths and students participated in a anti-corruption rally here on Monday, demanding action against those involved in the fake Bhutanese Refugee scam. The rally was held as former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and former home minister Bal Krishna Khand among several others were arrested last week in connection the scam, under which Nepali nationals were sent to the United States by forging fake documents of them being Bhutanese refugees. On Monday, the student organisations and youth bodies belonging to the ruling Nepali Congress, CPN Maoist Centre, CPN-Unified Socialist and CPN-Maoist Centre took out rallies at Bhrikutimandap area in Kathmandu. Holding placards with slogans "We know nothing but action against corrupt", "Investigate property of those in public post", "Zero tolerance to corruption", "Control price rise", "Our future is corruption free Nepal", the participants demanded fair probe in the Bhutanese Refugee scam. "A group of around 1,500

Pak anti-corruption watchdog seeks 14-day physical remand of Imran Khan

Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog on Wednesday sought a 14-day physical remand of former prime minister Imran Khan as he was produced before a special court inside a high security police facility here for the hearing in a corruption case in which he has been arrested. The 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician was taken into custody by the paramilitary Rangers on Tuesday on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by barging into a room of the Islamabad High Court where he came to attend a corruption case hearing. The New Police Guest House located in the premises of Police Lines Headquarters at Sector H-11/1 area of Islamabad was declared as a court for the purpose of hearing two cases against Khan. The first case is about Al-Qadir Trust allegedly causing more than Rs50 billion to the national exchequer. Khan was arrested on Tuesday in the case. He was produced in the Anti-Accountability Court No. 1 presided by judge Muhammad Bashir, the same judge who had

India bats for faster extradition of fugitive economic offenders at G-20

India on Wednesday emphasised on multilateral action rather than bilateral coordination to ensure faster extradition of fugitive economic offenders and recovery of stolen assets from abroad during the anti-corruption working group meeting of G20 nations here. The assertion assumes significance as the country has been putting in efforts to extradite fugitive economic offenders, including diamond merchant Nirav Modi and businessman Vijay Mallya, from different countries. In the inaugural session of the important anti-graft meet, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said the corrupt find a way to park their proceeds of crime and it is such money that is pushed into evil activities. This is one of the major sources of terror funding. From illegal drugs that destroy young lives to human trafficking, from weakening democracies to sale of illegal arms, this dirty money funds many destructive enterprises, he said. Singh said there is a need for the global community to work

Unidentified people booked for swindling Rs 20 crore Delhi Jal Board fund

The ACB said that the department would investigate the role of the DJB officials and other private players in the alleged embezzlement that it claimed took place between 2012 and 2019.

Don't spare corrupt, don't be defensive: PM to Central Vigilance Commission

Showing unflinching support to anti-corruption agencies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said they "need not be defensive" while tackling graft even when some people with "vested interests" keep hollering and maligning them. Addressing the 'Vigilance Awareness Week' organised by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the prime minister exhorted the panel, other agencies and officers to ensure that no corrupt person is spared no matter how powerful the individual may be. He said it is the responsibility of organisations like the CVC that no corrupt person gets "political or social refuge". "Every corrupt person should be held accountable by the society. It is important to build such an atmosphere. We are seeing that paeans are being sung for people already proven corrupt. People calling themselves honest do not feel the shame to go and get photographed with such corrupt people. This situation is not good for the Indian society," he said. Without taking any names, Modi said

CVC's Integrity Pledge: Mobilising citizens towards corruption-free India

The CVC has set four focal areas for organisations under its anti-corruption campaign - property management, asset management, record management, and technological initiatives

Telangana MLA poaching: ACB court sends 3 accused to 14-day judicial remand

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) special court Judge on Sunday sent the three accused in the MLA poaching case to 14 days of judicial custody to Chanchalguda jail

Telangana MLA poaching case: Court refuses judicial remand of 3 accused

A Telangana court has rejected the request of Cyberabad Police to remand to judicial custody the three accused who were arrested for allegedly trying to poach four TRS MLAs