DHANALAKSHMI SRIDHAR Vs. DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The principal accused in this case is one Sridhar Dhanapal, (for short "Sridhar"), who bears the moniker "Kanchipuram Don" and has to his credit, 26 criminal cases, including murder cases, attempt to murder cases, extortion cases and cases under the Arms Act. Police say that he started his career as a petty bootlegger, but, diversified his enterprise into serious crimes like extortion and murder when he found it to be very lucrative. It is said that he escaped to Dubai and continued to remote control his criminal empire with his minions in India until his demise on 04.10.2017.

(2.) The Superintendent of Police, Kanchipuram, forwarded a letter dated 03.03.2016 to the Enforcement Directorate stating that Sridhar has been evading judicial proceedings in India for a period of three years; a red corner notice has been issued against him by the C.B.I, National Central Bureau - India Interpol, New Delhi; Sridhar has also obtained a resident permit in the U.A.E. using his UAE passport bearing no. Z 2506281; he flew from India in 2013 to evade judicial proceedings; he has purchased several properties in India in his name, in the name of his wife Kumari and his daughter Dhanalakshmi out of criminal activities, in support of which, cases pending against him were furnished. The FIRs filed by the police disclosed the commission of offences punishable under Sections 120-B,302,307,384 and 385 IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act, 1959, which are incidentally schedule offences by virtue of Section 2(1)(x) and 2(1)(y) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (for brevity "the PML Act"). Therefore, the Enforcement Directorate registered a case in ECIR/ CEZO/3/2016 on 09.03.2016 and took up investigation of the case under the PML Act.

(3.) After completing the investigation, the Enforcement Directorate filed a complaint in S.C. No.74 of 2017 in the Principal Sessions Court (Special Court, Chennai) against Sridhar and 6 others, including his daughter Dhanalakshmi, seeking quashment of which, Dhanalakshmi has preferred the instant criminal original petition invoking Section 482 Cr.P.C.