The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to alleged money launderer and tax evader Hasan Ali Khan as the prosecution could not establish his offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He collapsed in the court room after hearing his bail plea. Subsequently, a doctor had to be called in to the court room so as to check his health.
Khan's lawyer told the reporters that he had been granted bail by Justice Abhay Thipse against the surety of Rs.5,00,000. He has been asked to deposit his passport and not to leave Mumbai or Pune without the prior and written permission of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) investigation officer.
The court observed that the ED had not been able to establish a case of money laundering against Hasan Ali and hence no offence could be made out against him under the PMLA. The judge observed that the mere existence of a bank account in a foreign bank is not money laundering. Hasan Ali was taken into custody by the ED on March 17 after the Supreme Court cancelled the bail granted to him by a trial court.
On March 21, the apex court ordered his custody to the ED for an additional three days. He is suspected to have stashed away around $8 billion in Swiss bank accounts transfering cash and assets out of the country through dubious means and evading taxes on income with a suspected liability around Rs. 4,000 crore. The Bombay High Courton Wednesday exempted his wife Rheema from appearing before a special court that launched criminal proceedings against her.
On the basis of a complaint filed by the ED for non-appearance before the agency despite summons, the PMLA court has launched criminal proceedings against her on June 17.
The court, however directed the special court to decide whther Rheema should appear before the ED within four weeks.
News Reported by AR
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