The Supreme Court has approved bail for Bachchu Yadav, who is alleged to be connected to a mining mafia and is considered a close associate of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. This decision comes in the context of a money laundering case, and it dismisses the Enforcement Directorate's claim that he received Rs 30 lakh as proceeds of illegal activities.

A bench comprising Justices A S Bopanna and Prashant Kumar Mishra has provided relief to Bachhu Yadav, a close associate of Pankaj Mishra. It is worth noting that Bachhu Yadav has been in custody for more than a year since his arrest on August 5, 2022. Furthermore, the bench observed that the trial in the case had already commenced, with five witnesses having been examined.

The Enforcement Directorate argued that the petitioner had engaged in the transportation of 1844 trucks/vehicles carrying stone chips between June 01, 2022, and June 26, 2022. Additionally, upon examining his bank account, they discovered a significant cash deposit of Rs 30 lakhs on January 24, 2022. The Enforcement Directorate asserted that this amount constitutes proceeds of a criminal activity.

The bench, in its decision, placed reliance on an explanation provided by the petitioner. According to the petitioner's explanation, the Rs 30 lakh deposited in his account occurred well before the period in which the alleged offense took place. Furthermore, the purpose of this money was intended for the purchase of a house in Asansol. It was also noted that Rs 26 lakh of this amount had been transferred through NEFT, and the sale of the property had been officially registered.

"Be that as it may, these are aspects which, in any event, would be looked at during the course of the trial," the bench said.

The bench granted the petitioner's request for bail, with the stipulation that he must actively participate in the trial proceedings without any attempt to obstruct the course of justice.

Case Title: Bachchu Yadav vs ED

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