Pune (Maharashtra) [India], March 8 (ANI): Four persons were arrested on Monday for defrauding the Shivaji Bhosle Co-operative Bank Ltd, Pune to the tune of over Rs 71.78 crores, said the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The Enforcement Directorate’s Mumbai Zonal Office-II arrested four persons identified as Anil Shivajirao Bhosale, Suryaji Pandurang Jadhav, Tanaji Dattu Padwal and Shailesh Bhosale in a case relating to the Pune Co-operative Bank on March 6, 2021 after taking custody of the said accused persons from Yervada Jail.
According to the ED, an investigation into the money laundering case was initiated on the basis of a first information report (FIR) registered by the Maharashtra Police against Anil Shivajirao Bhosale, Suryaji Pandurang Jadhav, Tanaji Dattu Padwal and Shailesh Bhosale and others.
As per a statement released by the ED, the FIR alleged that a team of the Reserve bank of India (RBI) during their periodical visit to the head office of Shivajirao Bhosale Co-operative Bank Ltd, Pune on April 26, 2019, noticed various discrepancies in the records/ books of accounts of the bank.
Further as per RBI directions to the statutory auditor of the bank for verification of cash record, it was noticed that the entry of cash of Rs 71.78 crores was kept pending at bank’s head office in their cash book, said the ED.
The ED further stated that during the investigation it was gathered that Anil Shivajirao Bhosale who was the Director of Shivajirao Bhosale Co-op. Bank Ltd had misused his position and conspired with the co-accused and siphoned off the amount from Shivajirao Bhosale Co-operative Bank Ltd and its branches for personal gains. Anil Bhosale and his associates were arrested by the Crime Branch, Pune and were placed in judicial custody at Yerwada Central Jail, Pune.
The ED during investigation, unearthed the connivance of all accused in the said report submitted by the bank auditor in the offence of money laundering by cheating, defrauding and siphoning off the public funds available in the M/s Shivajirao Bhosale Co-operative Bank Ltd, which was deposited by the small investors.
According to the ED, it was further revealed that the said deposits had been sanctioned as a loan to different companies as well as entities comparatively more than their repayment capacity resulting in the most of the loan account becoming non-performing assets, creating loss to the said bank and corresponding gains to themselves.
Based on the said investigations all the accused were brought to ED office Mumbai under Production Warrant from Pune and were placed under arrest on March 6, 2021.
The ED also stated that the accused persons were produced before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Court, Mumbai for obtaining ED’s custody.
The PMLA Court has granted five days custody of the accused persons to the ED till March 11, 2021 and further investigation is under process, it added. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Delhi reported 239 new COVID-19 cases, 309 recoveries and three deaths in the last 24 hours.
The total count of cases in the national capital has risen to 6,41,340 including 1,730 active cases and 6,28,686 recoveries.
The death toll has gone up to 10,924.
India has reported a total of 1,12,29,398 cases, including 1,88,747 active cases and 1,08,82,798 recoveries.
With 99,205 active cases, Maharashtra continues to remain the most-affected state followed by Kerala with 41,162 active cases. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): A Delhi court on Monday convicted Ariz Khan, who was arrested in February 2018 in connection with the 2008 Batla House encounter case.
Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav convicted Ariz Khan under Section 186, Section 333, Section 353, Section 302, Section 307 and Section 174 A IPC and provision of arms act.
The court said that Khan and others had intentionally murdered Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, an encounter expert, and caused hurt to Head Constable Balwant Singh and Rajbir Singh.
Khan is allegedly associated with the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen. He was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police after a decade of allegedly being on the run.
According to Delhi Police, Khan was at the spot during the Batla encounter but managed to escape. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, on Monday announced a range of programs and a grant of USD 25 million to nonprofits and social enterprises working on empowering girls and women.
“We are today launching a global http://Google.org Impact Challenge for women and girls. We will provide USD 25 million in grants to non-profits and social enterprises doing important work to help women address systemic barriers, economic equality and more,” said Sundar Pichai.
Google.org’s new Impact Challenge, a philanthropic initiative was unveiled on International Women’s Day by Pichai.
Google.org — the philanthropic arm of the technology giant, is aimed at addressing systemic barriers and inequities so that women have access to economic equality, the opportunity to build financial independence, and pursue entrepreneurism, said Google chief executive Sundar Pichai at a virtual event.
“We are announcing a new commitment to allow 1 million women in the rural villages to become entrepreneurs, through business tutorials, tools, and mentorship,” he added.
“Whatever these teams need, we are going to be alongside them and help carry out their vision,” said Jacquelline Fuller, President of Google.org, at the event. The company said it will accept applications from teams worldwide until April 9.
Fuller also announced that Google.org is going to invest an additional USD 1 million to help underserved women in India. Even as India is the world’s second-largest internet market, women make up a small percentage of online users in the country.
Five years ago, Google launched a program called ‘Internet Saathi’ to bring internet literacy to women in rural parts of India. The company said the program, for which it collaborated with Indian conglomerate Tata, significantly helped improve women’s participation on the Indian internet.
Four of 10 internet users in rural India are now women, said Google, up from one in 10 in 2015. The company, citing its own research, said the Internet Saathi program benefited more than 30 million women in India — and that it’s now concluding the program to focus on other efforts to continue this mission.
“This program created a cascading effect,” said Sanjay Gupta, the head of Google India, at the event. (ANI)

Tamil Nadu [India], March 8 (ANI): The Communist Party of India-Marxist will contest six seats as part of the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu CPI (M) general secretary Balakrishnan said that the party has been allocated six seats for the forthcoming polls in the state.
“We will work on all the 234 seats to defeat AIADKMK-BJP alliance,” he said.
Elections to the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly will be held on April 6 and the counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], March 8 (ANI): Congress MLA Amba Prasad on Monday rode a horse to the Jharkhand assembly on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Prasad said that the horse has been gifted to her by a retired Army officer.
“This horse has been gifted to me by Colonel (retired) Ravi Rathore on the occasion of International Women’s Day,” she told ANI.
The 31-year-old is a Congress MLA from the Barkagaon assembly constituency in the Ramgarh district.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended wishes on the occasion of International Women’s Day, saying that India takes pride in the many accomplishments of women.
“Saluting our indomitable #NariShakti on International Women’s Day! India takes pride in the many accomplishments of the women of our nation. It is our government’s honour to be getting the opportunity to work towards furthering women empowerment across a wide range of sectors,” PM Modi tweeted.
“On the occasion of International Women’s Day, greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens. Women in our country are setting new records and achievements in various fields. Let us collectively resolve to promote gender justice and eliminate inequality between women and men,” President Ram Nath Kovind said in a tweet.
Each year on March 8, International Women’s Day is observed in order to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day commemorates women, who despite various challenges posed by society have proven their mettle in every sphere across the world. (ANI)