[India]: Kerala's move to appoint graft-accused KA Ratheesh as MD of Consumerfed draws flak

August 16, 2019

K A Ratheesh, who was listed as accused by the CBI in corruption cases while serving as MD of Cashew Development Corporation, had faced expulsion by the then UDF government.

K A Ratheesh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LDF government is set to appoint a person facing corruption charges as the Managing Director of Consumerfed. Ironically, the apex body of consumer co-operatives is also under the Vigilance scanner in connection with alleged corruption to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.

K A Ratheesh was listed as accused by the CBI in corruption cases while serving as MD of Cashew Development Corporation. Following the corruption charges, the then UDF government expelled him from the post.

The LDF government, which came to power, gave a clean chit to Ratheesh in connection with numerous Vigilance cases registered against him during his stint in Cashew Development Corporation. However, he still figures as an accused in cases registered by the CBI.

Ratheesh was also appointed as executive director of Kerala Institute of Entrepreneurship Development by the LDF government. He later figured as one of the shortlisted persons for the post of MD in Consumerfed, which has a turnover of over Rs 3,000 crore.

Among the five persons shortlisted for interview, all except Ratheesh had a good track record. However, Ratheesh emerged topper despite being an accused in a corruption case.

Ratheesh had served as MD of Cashew Development Corporation during the stint of both UDF and LDF governments. According to sources, his political connections have helped him emerge front-runner for the plum post despite the corruption charges.

Reporters

Source: News Indian Express

[Gambia]: Indian Businesses Involved In The Processing Of Cashew Nuts For Export Have Been Exposing Gambian Women To Work Under Extremely Hot Weather Without Any Protection

August 06, 2019

Indian Businesses Involved In The Processing Of Cashew Nuts For Export Have Been Exposing Gambian Women To Work Under Extremely Hot Weather Without Any Protection. They are not only spending long hours in the sun, but have to do their work at snail-pace while squatting on hot concrete floors.

Images by the reporters

Women hired to pick nuts would spent Eight Hours under the Intense heat without any Protection

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Gambian women working in the scourging sun are at risk of heat exhaustion, skin cancer and sun damage to the eye. They are paid D100 per day working during the hottest, sunniest parts of the day (generally between 9.00 a.m. and 4 p.m.) without face mask or any protection from long term exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun and heat exhaustion as a result of excessive sweating.

Indian businesses have been involved in the cashew trade since the era of Yaya Jammeh. They dominate the industry and control the entire cashew process from Guinea Bissau to Gambia forming solid synergy in the collection and shipping of the nuts. The other processes which include steam roasting, shell cutting and pealing are done outside the country which doesn’t augurwell for our government’s policy of adding value to the raw materials produce in the country.

Talking to the owner of this particular business located just at the end of Denton Bridge going to Banjul while sitting in his air-conditioned office ten meters from where the women in the sun, he remarked sarcastically that the women doing this tedious job of separating the oily nuts from the good ones enjoyed doing their job in the sun as the nuts need sunlight to be processed. When reminded about the dangers of exposing these people to elevated body temperature with these with high blood pressure which can cause death or permanent disability. He was totally indifferent to the health risks these people are facing.

The exportation of unprocessed cashew nuts will benefit the Indian exporters more than what government is getting from taxes. These nuts could be sent back in this country packaged and marked ‘made in India’ and displayed on the shelves of many of our mini-markets and supermarkets owned by Indians.

The cashew nuts - images by IT

To echo the concerns of many Gambian businessmen, this Government must be proactive in making sure the exploitation of our material and human resources are controlled as well as protecting the rights of those women spending all their daily working lives picking nuts under the scourging heat for foreign-owned businesses whose economic contributions to the country is negligible.

The cashew business is a lucrative business to be monopolized by Indians. Government officials responsible for issuing trade licenses, trade facilitation and expansion should stop paying lip service to the clarion call to help Gambian businesses to grow. As the old aphorism has it, “charity begins at home.”

Reporters

Source: Freedom Newspaper Gambia

[India]: Thane: Over 600 farmers cheated by two traders

Jul 29, 2019

Thane crime branch officers have arrested two people who cheated farmers by taking their farm produce and never paid them. 

Photo by Prashant narvekar 

The crime branch officials said the two accused had cheated around 606 farmers from Karnataka, Kolhapur and Konkan by promising them lucrative returns on their produce of Kaju (Cashews), but later they did not pay anything to the farmers. 

According to Thane Crime Branch senior inspector Nitin Thakare, after receiving the information that Deepak Kumar Patel alias Amit Kumar Asnani and Sumitkumar Asnani alias Mahesh Gyanchandani both traders had formed a fake company called as Ashtavinayak Trading company in Highland Mall in Kapurbawdi, Thane with the simple motive of cheating farmers, the crime branch detained them.

“We received the information that the two were taking Cashew produce from farmers and not paying them. 

They have cheated around 600 farmers to the tune of Rs 3 crore-Rs 5 crore,” said a police official. 

On the information, the police team managed to trace Patel in Ahmedabad and later Asnani in Kutch. 

After cheating the farmers, they had sold the Kaju produce to another trader and fled with the money. 

They had started purchase of Kaju on the pretext of Diwali from farmers last year and later shut the shop in the rented premises and fled. 

“One by one we traced the accused and later we found that they had sold the produce through two agents and five traders. 

All of them are arrested. We have recovered valuables worth Rs 2.5 crore including around 2234 boxes of Kajus from them,” Sandeep Bagul, assistant police inspector of Thane crime branch said. 

They have been booked for cheating, forgery and conspiracy said the police. 

“They initially paid me some money but later their cheque bounced. 

We as farmers did not have any hopes despite registering a case with Karnataka police as the cheating had happened in November when cashews are high in demand for Diwali gifts. 

But finally, the police has given us some hope with the arrests,” Raju Patil a farmer from Belgaum, said.   

By Vinay Dalvi

Source: Mumbai Mirror

[India]: Over 2,000 tins of cashew nuts worth Rs 2.20 crore recovered

July 30, 2019

Jumping with joy: A farmer is ecstatic on receiving a tin of cashew nuts which was recovered after the Thane Crime Branch busted a racket, on Monday.   | Photo Credit: Vibhav Birwatkar

Accused duo fled after buying produce from farmers on credit

After an eight-month-long investigation, the Thane Police Crime Branch finally recovered over 2,000 tins of cashew nuts worth Rs 2.20 crore, which had been procured by hoodwinking farmers in Kolhapur and Belgaum and sold to third parties by two businessman based in Thane.

The investigation began in November last year when 192 cashew farmers from Kolhapur filed a complaint with the Kapurbawdi police against Ashtavinayak Trading Company in Thane. The farmers said that the owners of the firm bought 1,909 tins of cashew nuts from them on credit and promised to pay them as soon as the tins were sold to traders. However, the duo disappeared without paying the farmers.

The case was handed over to the Crime Branch Unit I for investigation, and Deepak Patel (49) was arrested from his hideout in Ahmedabad in November last year. His associate, Mahesh Gyanchandani (46), was later arrested from Kutch. While interrogating the duo, the Crime Branch realised that the farmers who had filed the complaint were not the only ones who had been fooled by the accused.

A Unit I officer said, “Inquiries revealed that the accused pulled off similar rackets in Belgaum in Karnataka. We obtained the transaction details of the accused and traced the retailers to whom they had sold the tins of cashew nuts at a profit of Rs 2,000 each.”

On Monday, the Crime Branch recovered 2,235 tins of cashew nuts which had been fraudulently obtained from 606 farmers in Kolhapur and Belgaum through a wide network of agents. The tins were then returned to the farmers.

Satheri Gunduguro Turiye, a farmer from Kolhapur, said, “Our faith in the police has been vindicated today. It has been eight months since they started their investigation into the racket and we never lost hope. We would have suffered severe financial losses if our produce had not been recovered.”

Thane Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar said, “We are humbled by the response from farmers. This is a major accomplishment by our officers and constables. I congratulate each and everyone of them.”

Vasanth Sundarrajan

Source: The Hindu

[India]: Kollam: Tainted officer given new post

July 08, 2019

The previous government had appointed Mr Ratheesh at the KIED after removing from the helm of the KSCDC.

K. A. Ratheesh - Images by IT

KOLLAM: The Left government's appointment of a tainted officer facing a CBI probe in a graft case as the managing director of a public sector company has courted controversy.

K. A. Ratheesh, who lost his job as the MD of Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) in 2015 following this, had a bumpy ride to another cushy post.

He returned as the executive director of Kerala Institute for Entrepreneurship Development (KIED) in Kalamassery this time armed with a court order.

Mr Ratheesh is the second accused in the scam at the KSCDC involving more than Rs 500 crore in cashew deals currently investigated by the CBI.

The previous government had appointed Mr Ratheesh at the KIED after removing from the helm of the KSCDC.

After assuming office, industries minister E.P. Jayarajan cancelled this appointment, only to be reinstated by A. C. Moideen, who handled the portfolio after Mr Jayarajan had to resign following nepotism charges.

Upon his return as industries minister, Mr Jayarajan again fired Mr Ratheesh, against which he moved the Kerala High Court and earned a favourable verdict.

Reporters

Source: Deccan Chronicle

[India]: Graft accused allegedly holds plum post

July 07, 2019

He is accused of indulging in corruption while procuring raw cashew nuts between 2006 and 2015 and is facing a CBI probe.


Images by IT

KOLLAM: Former managing director of Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) K A Ratheesh, who is the first accused in a graft case, has allegedly been given a plum posting in Kerala Institute for Entrepreneurship Development.

He is accused of indulging in corruption while procuring raw cashew nuts between 2006 and 2015 and is facing a CBI probe. When his appointment was pointed out to Cashew Minister Mercykutty Amma in a press meet held here on Saturday, she said she was unaware of it.   

“Currently, the CBI inquiry into the corruption case in which Ratheesh is the main accused is progressing. As per my knowledge, any recruitment during this period is not legally possible,” she said.

It is alleged that KSCDC officials violated norms by awarding the contract to supply raw cashew nuts to a private supplier with the intention of cheating the corporation. The HC had ordered a CBI investigation to a petition filed by former Kollam secretary of INTUC K Manoj, who had also brought the issue to the government’s notice.

Reporters

Source: By Express News Service

[Nigeria]: Driver arraigned for allegedly stealing cashew nuts worth N4m

July 05, 2019

Images by IT

A 29-year-old truck driver, Sunday Oladosu, who allegedly stole 113 bags of cashew nuts valued at N4 million from the container he was transporting, on Friday appeared in a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. The police charged Oladosu, who resides in Ibadan, with two counts of conspiracy and theft.

The Prosecution Counsel, Sgt. Godwin Oriabure, told the court that the defendant committed the offence in February, at Iju Ishaga area of Ogun state. 

He said the complainant, Mr Tajudeen Adeniji, hired the defendant and an agent, (who is still at large) to transport 350 bags of cashew nuts to Apapa port for export. 

Oriabure alleged that the defendant and his accomplice removed 113 bags of cashew nuts out of the container with number CAIU 4796618. 

He alleged that the defendant sold 100 bags out of the 113 bags for N500,000 to a business man, whom the police is yet to identify. 

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015 (Revised). 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 411 stipulates two years imprisonment for the offence of conspiracy while that of stealing attracts three years. 

The Magistrate, Mrs Oluwatoyin Ojuromi, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. 

She ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government. Ojuromi adjourned the case until Aug. 27 for trial. 

(NAN)

Reporters

Source: Daily Trust Nigeria

[India]: Five get life term for Odisha’s journo’s murder

June 28, 2019

Berhampur: Five people, including the owner of a cashew processing unit, were sentenced to life imprisonment by a Ganjam trial court on Thursday for the murder of a 35-year-old journalist, five years ago. 

Images by IT

A sixth accused is yet to stand trial as he is absconding. Tarun Acharya was killed on May 27, 2014, after his report on child labour being used in a local cashew processing unit appeared in an Odia newspaper. 

His body was found the next day, in a pool of blood, with his throat slit near Khallikote. “My brother was killed by the owner of the cashew processing unit because of he exposed the use of children there,” said his brother

Tapas Acharya, who himself is a lawyer. “We are happy that we get justice after five years,” he added, and appealed to the police to arrest the absconding convict. The additional district and sessions judge, Srinibash Pratihari, found all five accused - P.Shyam Sundar Prusty, owner of the cashew unit, Sibaram Nayak, Suresh Chandra Sahu, Santosh Moharana and P. Ramesh Reddy— guilty of the murder. 

Nursingh Charana Panda, the sixth accused, is still at large. 

Prusty, the owner of the cashew processing unit was arrested 10 days after the murder. He had hired three goons from Berhampur, including Moharana and Reddy, to eliminate Acharya, sources said. 

The crime branch took up the investigation on the direction of the high court and the prosecution produced 47 witnesses, which led to the convictions, special public prosecutor Santosh Kumar Mund said. 

Journalists welcomed the verdict. ‘It is not only a victory for the family members of the deceased journalist, but also a victory for the entire journalist community,” said Rabi Rath, state president of National Journalist Union (India). 

The Odisha Union of Journalists president, Prasanna Mohanty, said they had taken up the issue with the state government. The government was forced to order the probe by crime branch due to the demand of journalists. “We are happy as the criminals involved in the murder got their due punishment,” Mohanty said.

By Hrusikesh Mohanty 

Source: The Times of India

[India]: Trader held from Gujarat for duping Maha cashew farmers

June 08,. 2019

City police have arrested a trader from Kutch district in Gujarat for allegedly duping farmers from Kolhapur in Maharashtra, police said on Saturday.

Images by IT

The accused, identified as Sumit Asnani alias Mahesh Gulabchandani (49), was arrested on June 6, police said.

"He and his partner had set up Ashtavinayak Trading Company in Thane and procured over 14 tonnes of cashews worth over Rs one crore from several farmers in Kolhapur last year. They sold the cashew stock, but shut the business and fled without paying anything to the farmers," inspector Sandeep Bagul of Thane crime branch said.

Following complaints from farmers, an offence was registered at Kapurbawdi police station against the duo under IPC sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and others.

"Police had arrested Gulabchandani's partner Deepak Patel alias Amit Asnani from Kutch in December last year. He is currently lodged in Thane jail," Bagul said.

After Patel's arrest, the police were on the lookout for Gulabchandani, who was traced to Kutch and finally arrested on Thursday, police said.

He has been remanded to police custody till June 13.

According to police, the duo was wanted in some other cheating cases in Thane, Kolhapur and Belgaum.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

By Press Trust of India |  Thane 

Source: Business Standards India

[India]: Trader Looted Of Rs 2.60 Lakh Cash At Gun Point In Koraput

June 07, 2019

Images by IT

Koraput: Throwing an open challenge to police unidentified miscreants looted over Rs 2 lakh from a cashew trader near Mastiput under Koraput Sadar Police Station area today.

As per the report, the victim identified as a cashew trader from Jeypore area was en-route to Kashipur boarding a car to purchase cashew, when the loot took place.

Near Mastiput on Koraput-Rayagada road at least two bike-borne miscreants intercepted them and snatched away a bag carrying Rs 2.60 lakh by putting him at the gun point.

“A case has been lodged in connection with the loot after the victim trader reported the matter to police. An investigation is underway to trace the accused,” said Koraput Sadar Police Station IIC Sasmita Swain.

By KalingaTV Bureau

Source: Kalinga TV

[Gambia] Investigating Officer testifies in over D1M cashew case

May 29, 2019

Gambia cashews - Images by India Mart

Alagie A. K. Manga, an Investigating Police Officer, on the 27th May, 2019, testified before Magistrate Joof of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court in the case involving one Pa Modou Kah.

Led by the prosecuting officer, ASP Manga, the witness, Alagie A. K. Manga, told the court that he is attached at the Serious Crime Unit of the police in Banjul. He stated that on the morning of 29th April, 2019, one Mr. Serge, a complainant, reported at their office and said that the accused, Pa Modou Kah, told him that he had twelve-and-a-half tones of cashew nuts for sale to the tune of D1, 150,000.

The witness further adduced that Mr. Serge said that he sent one of his employees, Wally Sowe, to take the sum of D1, 150,000 to the accused for the purchase of the cashew nuts. Mr. Manga went on to say that according to Mr. Serge, they were surprised that there were no cashew nuts for sale by the accused.

He revealed that he ordered one Demba Mbye, who was working under him, to record the voluntary and cautionary statements of the complainant. He told the court that he made an investigation after which he prepared a comprehensive report.

ASP Manga asked him how he would identify the report, and he said that he would be able to identify it by his signature. ASP Manga handed him the report to go through, which he did and confirmed that he prepared it.

At this juncture, ASP Manga applied to tender the said report. It was then shown to the accused and asked whether he had any objection to the tendering of the report. He told the court that he had nothing to say, noting that he hired the services of a lawyer who asked him to plead with the court to adjourn the case because he was busy.

ASP Manga responded that he believed that the lawyer should have written to the court and register his constraint. He went on to say that even if the lawyer were available, the document sought to be tendered would be admitted. He adduced that it was tendered through the maker.

But Magistrate Joof did not concur with him and stated that the lawyer of the accused should be given the opportunity to go through the document before it was admitted. He said that admitting the document in the absence of the lawyer might lead to an appeal. The document is in custody of the court awaiting the appearance of the lawyer.

At this juncture, the accused applied to the court to review his bail condition. ASP Manga argued that the court could not review its own bail condition, citing the constitution to support his argument.

The presiding magistrate ruled in favour of the accused and reviewed the bail condition and ordered that he produce two male Gambian sureties who should deposit their travelling documents to the registrar of the court.

The witness, Alagie A. K. Manga, is expected to reappear in court on the 4th June, 2019, for continuation of the case.  

Author: Dawda Faye

Source: The Point Gambia

[Vietnam] seizes 5.26 tonnes of pangolin scales hidden in cashew containers

May 27, 2019

Images by Tien Phong Daily

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has seized more than five metric tonnes of pangolin scales hidden in cashew nut containers shipped from Nigeria, the government said on Friday, in Southeast Asia’s latest large-scale wildlife trafficking case.

Last month, Singaporean authorities seized a total of 25.6 tonnes of pangolin scales across two separate raids, one of which was the biggest of its kind worldwide in five years.

Vietnamese customs and anti-smuggling forces found 5.26 tonnes of pangolin scales hidden in two containers carrying cashew nuts in the southern Vietnamese port of Cai Mep, the government said in a statement posted on its website on Friday.

Trade in pangolin is illegal in Vietnam, where a large number of people still believe consuming products from the critically endangered and defenseless mammal is good for their health.

The scales are often ground up and used as a scientifically unproven supplement to treat liver and bone issues, and for mothers to produce breast milk.

The raid came nine days after authorities in the northern Vietnamese city of Haiphong seized 8.3 tonnes of pangolin scales shipped from Africa, the government said in the statement.

Nguyen Van Thai, director of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife told Reuters last December that most of the pangolin scales seized in Vietnam originate in Africa and are bound for China.

Reporting by Khanh Vu; 

Editing by James Pearson and Richard Pullin

Source: Reuter