A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ahmedabad has framed criminal charges against Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) confirmed on Tuesday. The charges are related to a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The Hon’ble Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ahmedabad (Rural) and Designated Special Court (PMLA), Ahmedabad, today i.
e. 13.08.
2024 framed the Criminal Charges against Saket Gokhale, M.P., Rajya Sabha — ED (@dir_ed) August 13, 2024 The Principal District and Sessions Judge of Ahmedabad (Rural), who also serves as the designated Special Court for PMLA cases, issued the charges against Gokhale, who is also a national spokesperson for the All India Trinamool Congress.
The ED noted that a charge sheet had been filed against the 31-year-old MP last year under the anti-money laundering law. Charges for the scheduled offence in the Gujarat Police case had also been framed, news agency PTI reported. The case against Gokhale originated from a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Gujarat Police, which led to his arrest in Delhi in December 2022.
The arrest was linked to allegations of the misuse of funds Gokhale had collected through crowd-funding. According to the ED, significant sums of money raised through crowd-funding were allegedly spent on speculative share trading, luxurious dining, and other personal expenses deemed extravagant. Gokhale, however, has denied any .