CHRISTIAN JAMES MICHEL vs DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT

Judgment text excerpt

$~ * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Judgment delivered on: 22.05.2025 + BAIL APPLN. 1337/2024 CHRISTIAN JAMES MICHEL .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Aljo K. Joseph, Mr. Vishnu Shankar, Mr. Sriram P, Mr. Sheikh Mohsin, Advocates versus DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT .....Respondent Through: Mr. Zoheb Hossain, Special Counsel for ED with Mr. Vivek Gurnani, Panel Counsel for ED with Mr. Kartik Sabharwal, Ms. Pranjal Tripathi and Mr. Kanishk Maurya, Advocates. CORAM: HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE SWARANA KANTA SHARMA JUDGMENT DR. SWARANA KANTA SHARMA, J CRL.M.A. 8942/2025(modification in bail condition) 1. By way of this application, the applicant seeks modification of order dated 04.03.2025 passed by this Court in the captioned bail application, vide which the applicant herein was granted regular bail in case arising out of ECIR No. DLZO/15/2014/AD(VM) 7551-7584, dated 03.07.2014, recorded for offence under Sections 3 and 4 of the BAIL APPLN. 1337/2024 Page 1 of 17 Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:ZEENAT PRAVEEN Signing Date:22.05.2025 20:00:34 Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 [hereafter „PMLA‟]. 2. The concluding paragraph of the order dated 04.03.2025 is set out below: “....36. In view of the above discussion, considering the period of incarceration of about six years and two months undergone by the applicant, and in view of the fact that he has also been granted bail in the case pertaining to predicate offence by the Hon‟ble Supreme Court on the ground that the investigation has not been completed and the trial has not even begun, and considering that there seems to be no possibility of trial in this case concluding too within the remaining duration of the maximum prescribed sentence under Section 4 of PMLA, inasmuch as the same has not even begun as of now, t