The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Leena Paulose, wife of alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, in a case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with an alleged Rs 200 crore extortion racket.
However, the single-judge Bench of Justice Prateek Jalan declined to grant her bail in a separate case registered by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). As a result, Leena will continue to remain in judicial custody.
The High Court delivered the order on bail applications filed in two proceedings, allowing relief in the PMLA case while rejecting the plea in the organised crime prosecution.
According to the prosecution, Chandrasekhar allegedly impersonated a senior official from the Union Law Ministry and induced the wives of former promoters of Religare Enterprises to part with large sums of money on the false assurance of securing bail for their husbands. It was alleged that the accused, acting in concert, extorted over Rs 200 crore through a series of fraudulent representations and coercive demands.
The investigating agency further alleged that Paulose was an active participant in the criminal conspiracy and played a role in facilitating the proceeds of crime. She was arrested in 2021 on allegations of extortion, cheating and criminal conspiracy.
The charge sheet filed by the Economic Offences Wing invoked multiple penal provisions, including offences under Sections 170, 186, 384, 386, 388, 419, 420, 406, 409, 420, 468, 471, 353, 506, 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, and Sections 3 and 4 of MCOCA, 1999.
In parallel proceedings, the ED alleged commission of the offence of money laundering, stating that the accused used hawala channels, shell entities and layered financial transactions to conceal and project illicit funds as untainted property, thereby attracting liability under PMLA.
Paulose had sought bail on grounds including prolonged incarceration, delay in trial and parity with the co-accused who had been granted bail. While the High Court accepted these submissions in relation to the money laundering case, it found no grounds to extend similar relief in the MCOCA case, having regard to the gravity of allegations and the statutory framework governing organised crime offences.
A detailed judgment is awaited.
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