Jharkhand HC Refuses Discharge In ₹94.42 Lakh Bokaro Tender-Linked PMLA Case, Finds Prima Facie Material

The Jharkhand High Court at Ranchi refused to interfere with the trial court's order in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) prosecution arising out of alleged irregularities in the Bokaro Steel Plant tender process. A Single Judge Bench of Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad upheld the trial court orders rejecting the discharge application and framing charges against Chennai-based businessman Hitesh V. Shah in August 2025, alleging that bribe proceeds of Rs. 94.42 lakh were layered through...

Actor Jacqueline Fernandez Withdraws Plea In Supreme Court Against Framing Of Charges In ₹200 Crore PMLA Case

The Supreme Court on Thursday permitted actor Jacqueline Fernandez to withdraw her special leave petition challenging the order of the Special PMLA Court at Patiala House Courts. On May 30, 2026, the court had framed charges against her in the money laundering case arising out of the alleged ₹200 crore extortion racket involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. A vacation bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi allowed the plea to be withdrawn. This came after counsel...

Mere Registration Of FIR In Scheduled Offence Does Not Require ED To Register PMLA Case: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has refused to direct the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to initiate proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) merely because a criminal case involving a scheduled offence has been registered. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan held that the decision to register an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) rests with the authorised officer. The decision must be based on the material...

Kerala High Court Dismisses Federal Bank's Plea Against ED Attachment Of Mortgaged Property, Points To PMLA Court

The Kerala High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by Federal Bank challenging the Enforcement Directorate's attachment of a mortgaged property. The court held that since the attachment had already been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the bank's remedy was to approach the Special Court dealing with PMLA cases. Justice P.V. Balakrishnan observed, “Admittedly, the attachment effected by the respondent, has been confirmed by the...

PMLA Appellate Tribunal Upholds ED Retention Of ₹67.5 Lakh Seized In Shine City Money Laundering Probe

The Appellate Tribunal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has upheld the Enforcement Directorate's retention of Rs. 67.5 lakh seized from Vivek Gupta, who came under the agency's scanner over his alleged links with Shine City Infra Project Managing Director Rashid Naseem. The tribunal held that Gupta failed to substantiate the source of the cash and noted that he has since been named as an accused in the ED's prosecution complaint. Chairman Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari dismissed...

Calcutta High Court Grants Bail To Alleged School Recruitment Scam Middleman After 1.5 Years In Custody

The Calcutta High Court has recently granted bail to alleged middleman Prasanna Kumar Roy in a money laundering case linked to the West Bengal school recruitment scam. The court held that his custody of about one-and-a-half years, coupled with delays in the proceedings, justified his release despite the stringent bail conditions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Justice Jay Sengupta observed that prolonged incarceration without trial could, in appropriate cases, outweigh the...

PMLA Appellate Tribunal Upholds Attachment of Chennai Properties In Alleged FIEWIN Gaming Fraud Case

The Appellate Tribunal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has upheld the attachment of two Chennai plots worth about ₹42.67 lakh. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that the properties were linked to proceeds of crime generated through the FIEWIN online gaming application. The tribunal rejected a plea that the attachment proceedings had become redundant because a Special Court had already ordered confiscation of the properties. Member V. Anandarajan held that...

PMLA Court Directs ED To Release Ajmera Group Assets To Authority Under Karnataka Depositor Protection Law

A Special PMLA Court in Bengaluru has recently directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to release properties and bank deposits attached in the Ajmera Group's money laundering case in favour of the Competent Authority appointed by the Karnataka Government. The order enables the authority to proceed in accordance with the state's depositor protection law. The order was passed by Addl. City Civil and Sessions Judge Satish J. Bali. The Competent Authority sought release of assets covered by an...

Lending Public Money Without Efforts To Recover It Is 'Not Acceptable'; SC Issues Notice On Plea Seeking Probe Into JKM Infra

Calling it a "deep-rooted nexus" between banks, Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs), and borrowers, the Supreme Court on Friday said it was "not acceptable" for public money to be lent and then not effectively recovered. The remarks came as the Court issued notice on a PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into the settlement of JKM Infra Projects Ltd's ₹1,537 crore debt for ₹73.50 crore through the ARC route. A vacation bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V. Mohana heard the matter...

Karnataka High Court Quashes ED Arrest Of Gameskraft Founder, Says Arrest Cannot Spring From Ashes Of Old Allegations

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday quashed the Enforcement Directorate's arrest of gaming platform Gameskraft founder Deepak Singh and two company executives, holding that the agency could not justify their arrest on the basis of material that was substantially the same as that relied upon in earlier proceedings. Justice M Nagaprasanna passed the order while allowing petitions filed by Singh and Gameskraft executives Vikas Taneja and Prithvi Raj Singh. The court observed that the ED itself had...

Madras High Court Dismisses Flipkart Founders' Review Plea Against FEMA Proceedings

The Madras High Court has dismissed review petitions filed by Flipkart co-founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal and three investors seeking reconsideration of an earlier order that declined to interfere with Enforcement Directorate proceedings under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Justice S Sounthar held that the petitioners have an effective statutory remedy under FEMA and that the issues raised by them must first be agitated before the adjudicating authority. “In view of the...

Delhi Court Denies Bail To Ex-RCOM Executive Over Alleged Loan Fund Diversion Used To Acquire Yacht, Overseas Apartment

A Delhi court on Monday denied bail to Punit Narendra Garg, former Executive Director of Reliance Communications Ltd. (RCOM), in a case arising from allegations that Reliance Anil Ambani Group entities diverted loan funds linked to borrowings of more than ₹40,185 crore to acquire a luxury yacht and an overseas apartment. The court held that Garg had failed to satisfy the conditions for bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Special Judge (PC Act) CBI Ajay Gupta of the Rouse Avenue...