VEDPAL SINGH TANWAR Vs. DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The accused/applicant seeks bail under Sec. 45/65 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (hereinafter referred to as 'the PML Act') read with Sec. 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the Prosecution Complaint no.1929/2024 arising out of ECIR/HIU-1/08/2023 of PS HIU, Directorate of Enforcement (DoE) for offence under Sec. 3 and 4 of the PML Act The bail is sought on merits as well as on medical grounds. I heard senior counsel for the accused/applicant and the Special Public Prosecutor for DoE, assisted by the Investigating Officer (IO) in prelunch session today.

(2.) During pendency of this bail application before the predecessor bench, the accused/applicant also filed a miscellaneous application bearing no. CRL.M.(BAIL) 131/2025 seeking interim bail on medical grounds. Vide order dtd. 27/1/2025, the predecessor bench granted interim bail for a period of six weeks to the accused/applicant, directing him to surrender immediately after expiry of six weeks from the date of release.

(3.) By 21/5/2025, the roster of vacation benches was not ready, otherwise this matter, as part-heard matter, could have been posted before this bench during vacation duty itself. However, vide order dtd. 29/5/2025, passed in W.P.(CRL) No.231/2025 titled Vedpal Singh Tanwar vs Directorate of Enforcement, the Supreme Court directed hearing of this matter today, which has been done in compliance. Even today, after addressing for 1 hour 15 minutes, the senior counsel for the accused/applicant and the prosecutor for State sought to file written submissions after exchanging copies. But that request was declined as it would have again led to an adjournment, so that they be not deprived of opportunity to examine the submissions and respond. Thence, the final arguments were concluded in pre-lunch session and matter was passed over for orders in this post-lunch session.