LEENA PAULOSE vs DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT

Judgment text excerpt

$~P-2 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Reserved on: 08.04.2026 Pronounced on: 05.05.2026 Uploaded on: 05.05.2026 + BAIL APPLN. 4657/2024 & CRL.M.A. 38115/2024, 18039/2025, CRL.M.As. 32921-32922/2025 LEENA PAULOSE .....Petitioner versus DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT .....Respondent Appearances:- For Petitioner: Mr. Anant Malik, Mr. Paul John, Mr. Kunal Narwal and Ms. Ananya Chandra, Advocates. For Respondent: Mr. Zoheb Hossain, Spl. SC with Mr. Vivek Gurnani, Panel Counsel, Mr. Kanishk Maurya, Mr. Prekshit Chauna, Advocates. CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRATEEK JALAN JUDGMENT 1. By way of this application, under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 [“BNSS”], read with Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 [“PMLA”], the petitioner seeks regular bail in connection with ECIR/54/DLZO-II/2021, dated 08.08.2021, under Sections 3 and 4 of the PMLA. 2. I have heard Mr. Anant Malik, learned counsel for the petitioner, and Mr. Vivek Gurnani, learned counsel for the Directorate of Enforcement [“ED”]. The counter affidavit of the respondent is also on Signature Not Verified Signed By:PARUL BAIL APPLN. 4657/2024 Page 1 of 27 VASHIST Signing Date:05.05.2026 19:12 record. A. PROSECUTION CASE 3. The prosecution case, as it emerges from the material on record, is summarised hereinbelow: A. The genesis of the present ECIR lies in an investigation pertaining to another ECIR/DLZO-II/05/2019 [“the 2019 ECIR”], related to Religare Finvest Limited. During the investigation in respect of the 2019 ECIR, it was found that one Ms. Aditi Singh had made certain financial transactions, on the basis of which she was summoned on 17.06.2021. Her statement was recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA, and she tendered her mobile phone. B. After CDR and technic