'No case made out...': Delhi court denies default bail to 3 PFI members

New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) A Delhi court has denied default bail to three members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with a money-laundering case linked to alleged terror activities.

Special Judge Shailendra Malik of Patiala House Courts denied default bail to Mohammad Ilias, Mohammad Perwez Ahmed and Abdul Muqeet stating that there was no case made to support their claim.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had lodged the prosecution complaint against the accused on November 19, 2022, and the accused argued that it was filed before the investigation was completed.

However, the court disagreed, stating that the ED had gathered sufficient details during their investigation, and any ongoing "further investigation" would be for additional evidence.

The case involves an alleged laundering amount of Rs 120 crore over several years and also invokes the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The accused were arrested on September 22, 2022 and are currently in judicial custody.

Special Public Prosecutor N.K. Matta, who appeared in the court on behalf of the ED, submitted that merely because "further investigation" is going on, it cannot be assumed that the agency’s probe regarding the applicants remains incomplete.

The judge then said: "This court, in the facts and circumstances of the case, does not find substance in the submissions on behalf of the accused/applicants, firstly because the complaint has been filed within the statutory period. A perusal of the complaint does not indicate in any manner that its investigation remained incomplete on the facts stated therein.

"A meaningful reading of the complaint would also show that the investigation of the ED was complete qua the accused/applicants and they have enumerated details of the facts, evidence and documents collected during the investigation. Thus, to my mind, the accused/applicants are not entitled for the claim of default bail." the court added.

The ED had filed the prosecution complaint against the three accused and the PFI, claiming that Ahmed was the President of the proscribed outfit’s Delhi unit while Ilias was its General Secretary and Muqeet the Office secretary.