ED ATTACHES ASSETS OF J’KHAND MAOIST

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached assets of a Jharkhand-based Maoist operative as part of its money-laundering probe against him and others. In a statement issued by the central probe agency here on Friday, the ED said, “The frozen assets, worth `2.03 crore, are in the form of vehicles and are held in the name of Bindeshwar Ganjhu alias Bindu Ganjhu and his firm Maa Gange Coal Trading Pvt Ltd”. The ED further said its criminal case against Ganjhu and others, under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is linked to the extremists collecting funds through extortion of contractors, coal traders, coal transporters in the Magadh-Amrapali coal block area of Jharkhand. The state police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are also probing the accused and have filed multiple charge sheets against them. Bindeshwar Ganjhu, the ED said said, “Used to collect levy from transporters and delivery order holders in MagadhAmrapali coal block area in connivance with other extremists of Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) in Chatra district of Jharkhand.” The total value of assets attached under the latest order is `2.03 crore.

Mumbai, Feb. 26: Aviation regulator DGCA extended the suspension of international commercial passenger flight services till March 31. Scheduled international flight operations were suspended from March 23 last year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

“In partial modification of circular dated June 26, 2020, the competent authority has further extended the validity... regarding scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India till 23.59 pm IST of March 31, 2021,” the DGCA said.

However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on select routes by the competent authority on case-to-case basis, it said.

The restriction will not apply to cargo flights and flights specifically approved by DGCA, the circular added. Amid the suspension, special international flights have been allowed under the Vande Bharat Mission since May last year.