PRABIR PURKAYASTHA Vs. DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Bail Application under Sec. 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as 'Cr.P.C') has been filed on behalf of the Applicant, Prabir Purkayastha seeking Anticipatory Bail in ECIR bearing ECIR/14/HIU/2020 dtd. 2/9/2020 under Sec. 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (hereinafter referred to as 'ECIR').

(2.) The Applicant submits that he is a respectable and law-abiding citizen of India having deep roots in the Society and is residing with his Partner. He is a reputed journalist and is also a Director of M/s PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt. Ltd., a law-abiding corporate entity incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, which owns and operates 'newsclick.in' set up in 2009, one of the most popular and reputed digital media platforms in the country as well as abroad.

(3.) The expertise of the Applicant in various issues relating to industry and technology, has also been recognised by the Government of India. He has been a member of the National Steering Committee, ASTeC Programme as well as a Member of the Expert Group on Industrial Application, both of which are convened under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. He has published several scholarly Articles in various National and International Publications in the field of Engineering, Software Technology, Energy Policy and other social issues.