PMLA
10 Important White-Collar Judgments Of 2025
The year 2025 saw some of the most talked about rulings in white collar crime, where the Supreme Court shaped how our criminal justice system looks at economic offences, money laundering, bail rules and the rights of accused persons caught up in complex investigations. These top 10 judgments show how Courts are trying to strike a balance between strong enforcement on one side and fair trial rights on the other. From expanding access to documents in PMLA cases to checking illegal arrests, the...
Non-Bailable Warrants Can't Be Issued Against Person Summoned As Witness Or Suspect During ED Probe: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has held that non-bailable warrants (NBWs) can't be issued against a person who has only been summoned as a witness or suspect in a money-laundering investigation, unless such person is shown to be accused of non-bailable offence.Justice Amit Sharma thus quashed the NBWs issued by the Enforcement Directorate against UK-based businessman Sachin Dev Duggal in connection...
Why Delhi Court Dismissed ED's Complaint Against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi In National Herald Case
A Delhi Court has refused to take cognizance of Enforcement Directorate's money laundering complaint in the National Herald case allegedly involving Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Special Judge Vishal Gogne of Rouse Avenue Courts passed the order dismissing the prosecution complaint, which is equivalent to a chargesheet. Here are reasons why the Court did so. Money...
“Inadvertent Error” In Freezing Karti Chidambaram's Wife's Accounts While Probing Him: SFIO Tells NCLT Chennai
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has conceded before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) at Chennai that an “inadvertent error” on its part led to the freezing of the bank accounts of Dr Srinidhi Karti Chidambaram, wife of former MP Karti P Chidambaram. The attachment arose from SFIO's November 4 ex-parte order in its disgorgement proceedings linked to Advantage...
Karnataka High Court Issues Notice To ED On WinZO's Plea Challenging Search, Seizure In PMLA Probe
The Karnataka High Court on Monday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a petition filed by an online gaming company, Winzo Pvt Ltd, seeking to declare that the search and seizure carried out by the ED at its office between 18.11.2025 and 22.11.2025 in furtherance of an investigation in a money laundering case is illegal and void.Justice Suraj Govindaraj issued notice and...
NCLT Asks SFIO To Clarify Whether It Verified Karti Chidambaram's PAN Before Freezing His Wife's Accounts
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) at Chennai on Wednesday asked the Serious Fraud Investigation Office to clarify whether it independently verified fomer MP Karti Chidambaram's PAN before seeking freezing of the bank accounts of his wife, Dr. Srinidhi Karti Chidambaram, and directed the agency to file a response by December 9 The bench of Judicial Member Sanjiv Jain and Technical...
Sandesara Settlement and Constitutional Perimeter Of Closure Of Criminal Cases
The Supreme Court's order dated 19 November 2025 in Hemant S. Hathi v. Central Bureau of Investigation [2025 Livelaw (SC) 1139] represents an extraordinary culmination of multiple criminal, regulatory and attachment proceedings arising from the affairs of the Sterling group. Acting on what it repeatedly describes as the “peculiar facts” of the case, the Court directed that all such proceedings be quashed upon deposit of a consolidated sum of ₹5100 crore.This belongs to a small category of cases...
Supreme Court Restores Property Of Corporate Debtor Attached Under PMLA To Successful Resolution Applicant
The Supreme Court recently reiterated that the objective of Section 8(8) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act(PMLA) is to ultimately restore any attached properties to the bonafide successful resolution application(SRA) who have a legitimate interest in it.Section 8(8) allows the Special Court to direct the Central Government to restore property that has been confiscated under the Act to...
Property From Illegal Cricket Betting Activities Constitutes 'Proceeds Of Crime', Can Be Attached By ED: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has held that though cricket betting is not a separate predicate offence under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, the property generated from such illegal activities can be attached by the Enforcement Directorate.A division bench of Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar observed that the scope of Section 2(1)(u) PMLA, which defines proceeds of...
Sandesara–Sterling Group Loan Fraud | Supreme Court Quashes Criminal Cases After Accused Agree To Pay Rs 5,100 Crore To Banks
The Supreme Court recently quashed all criminal and civil proceedings against Hemant S. Hathi and Chetan Jayantilal, accused in the Sandesara–Sterling Group bank fraud case, after they agreed to deposit Rs 5,100 crore as full and final settlement with lender banks.A bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Vijay Bishnoi, however, clarified that the directions were issued in the peculiar...
ED Search Under PMLA Not Restricted To Persons Named In Complaint, Covers Those In Possession Of Proceeds Of Crime: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court on Friday clarified that Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) does not restrict the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to conduct searches only at the premises of persons who have been named in the prosecution complaint. A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Manoj Jain said that the provision of search also covers those...
Supplementary Complaint Under PMLA Doesn't Require Fresh Cognizance: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court recently observed that a supplementary complaint under Section 44 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act is not a fresh or independent complaint requiring the court to take cognisance. The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq held that a supplementary complaint is a part and parcel of the main complaint for which cognisance has already...