VINOD RAMNANI Vs. STATION HOUSE OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In W.P.No.244/2020, petitioners being second & third accused in the registered crime in question, are knocking at the doors of writ court seeking the quashment of criminal proceedings initiated pursuant to FIR No.CBI/ACB/BLR 2019 RC 18(A)/2019 that is now pending on the file of learned XXI Addl. City Civil & Sessions Judge cum Spl. Judge for CBI cases, Bangalore City, for the offences punishable under sections 420, 468 & 471 r/w section 120B of IPC, 1860 & section 13(1)(d) r/w section 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988; the respondent-CBI after service of notice, having entered appearance through its Sr. Panel Counsel, has filed a Statement of Objections resisting the writ petition.

(2.) In connected W.P.No.8031/2020, the petitioner Mr.Vinod Ramnani who happens to be the first petitioner in the aforesaid writ petition, has invoked the writ jurisdiction seeking a writ of certiorari for the quashing of impugned communication dated 15.5.2020 whereby, the Bank Accounts of the accused Company have been freezed in view of ongoing investigation under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act , 2002 and in the light of criminal proceedings that are impugned in the above writ petition; the respondent-Directorate of Enforcement after service of notice, having entered appearance through the learned CGC, opposes the writ petition; since both the writ petitions are structured on a common fact matrix and involve common questions of law, the same are taken up for hearing together, as consensually suggested at the Bar.

(3.) Facts in brief: