A court in Mumbai has rejected an anticipatory bail application of former Maharashtra cabinet minister and NCP leader Hasan Mushrif in connection with a money laundering case, and ruled that giving any protection to him would amount to "paralysing further investigation of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)".
However, on the request of Mushrif's lawyers Abaad Ponda and Prashant Patil, the court extended the interim protection from arrest for three more days, till April 14, for the former minister to approach the Bombay High Court.
Mushrif is facing action by the ED on charges of money laundering. After going through the ED's case, MG Deshpande, the Special Judge under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) said, "I hold that no exceptionally strong prima-facie case is made out by Mushrif for invoking the extraordinary power of the court."
The court held that the ED's investigation prima facie reflects the generation of Proceeds of Crime (POC), its placement, layering and integration as per the PMLA from criminal activities referred in the FIR registered against Mushrif.
On the issue of Mushrif's argument that the FIR against him was due to political agenda, the Special Judge said, "Whether it was a political vendetta or at the instigation of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya as alleged, is pending before the high court."
"Hence, this court cannot make any comment on it, particularly when the high court has given free hand to the said investigating agency," Special Judge Deshpande stated.
In March, the high court had ordered a judicial inquiry to find out how Somaiya had procured a copy of the order passed by the judicial magistrate issuing process (initiating proceedings) against the accused in a cheating case where Mushrif was allegedly involved, despite Somaiya not being party to the said proceedings.
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