Supreme Court grants bail to Sanjay Sureka in Concast Steel laundering case; five-day delay under PMLA does not vitiate arrest.
SC Grants Bail to Sanjay Sureka in PMLA Case
The Supreme Court has granted bail to Sanjay Sureka in a money laundering case linked to the Concast Steel fraud. The Court held that a five-day delay in filing the charge sheet under Section 19(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) did not invalidate the arrest, given the complexity of the investigation.
The Court balanced the accused’s right to liberty under Article 21 with the prosecution’s need for thorough inquiry. It observed that Sureka had cooperated with investigations and posed no flight risk. However, bail conditions include surrender of passport and no witness contact.
The judgment reaffirms that technical delays under PMLA do not automatically entitle one to bail. Practitioners must assess timing issues contextually and prioritize client cooperation to strengthen bail arguments.
Citations
- PMLA, 2002, Section 19(2)
- Article 21, Constitution of India