New Delhi: In a major setback for journalist Rana Ayyub, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed her petition, in which she challenged the summons issued to her by a special Ghaziabad court.
The journalist found herself in the midst of controversy over alleged siphoning off public welfare funds for personal use. A case was lodged against her by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for money laundering and was about to appear in special Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) court in Ghaziabad. However, inspite of co-operating with law agencies, she challenged the court summons in Apex court.
With Supreme Court dismissing her plea, it comes as a major blow for the ‘propaganda journalist’.
BREAKING: Big setback to journalist Rana Ayyub as Supreme Court dismissed her plea challenging the summons issued to her by a special PMLA court in Ghaziabad in a money laundering case lodged against her by the Enforcement Directorate. @RanaAyyub pic.twitter.com/v9mthIV2f1
— Law Today (@LawTodayLive) February 7, 2023
Rana Ayyub was told to appear in special PMLA court in Ghaziabad on Dec 27, 2022 but she had challenged this in apex court. The ED had filed chargesheet against the journalist for money laundering in Ghaziabad court on October 12 last year.
Rana Ayyub will now have to appear in court for hearing in the money laundering case. If she continues to abstain from appearing in court, she may be declared absconder & even can be sent behind bars for not complying with court procedures.
In its chargesheet, the investigation agency said that Rana Ayyub had illegally acquired funds from a fundraiser program in name of charity but accumulated it for personal use.
The agency said that its investigation established that the Rana Ayyub’s crowd-funding program on online ‘Ketto’ platform was merely aimed at deriving personal gains and not any charity as she claimed in her defence.
During the Corona period, the journalist had launched a campaign to generate money from general public for the welfare of Covid-hit victims & their families. However, it was later found that the public money was diverted to accounts of her family members. Personal FDs were made from the money collected under charity program. Following the unraveling of sensational disclosures, the agency had swung into action and lodged a case of money laundering against her.
