Jagadeesh Chandra Raj URS Vs State of Karnataka (Karnataka High Court)
The Karnataka High Court allowed the bail petition filed by Accused No. 7 in Special Case No. 91/2018, pending before the III Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mangaluru, for offences under Sections 3, 4 and 8(5) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).
The petitioner had earlier been charge-sheeted in Crime No. 245/2013 registered by Ankola Police Station for offences under Sections 302, 353 and 307 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, 1959. Subsequently, offences under the Karnataka Control of Organized Crimes Act, 2000 were also invoked. As these offences were scheduled offences under the PMLA and there was prima facie material indicating money laundering, ECIR No. 15/BGZO/2014-15 was registered. After investigation, a complaint was filed and the Special Court took cognizance of the PMLA offences on 28.09.2018. The petitioner’s earlier bail application under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure had been dismissed on 02.08.2025.
Before the High Court, the petitioner submitted that the maximum punishment for the alleged offences under the PMLA was imprisonment for seven years and that he had remained in custody since 18.12.2021. It was also contended that his parole application was either not being considered or was being rejected because bail had not been granted in the present case.
