The Supreme Court on Monday has directed the ED to approach the Jharkhand High Court for the vacation of a stay on the trial against former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda in a money laundering case.
The ED is contesting a November 8, 2023 order from the Jharkhand High Court that admitted Koda’s plea against the framing of charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and ordered a stay on further trial court proceedings.
During the hearing, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar noted that 25 out of the 77 witnesses had already been examined. Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the ED, argued that the high court should not have stayed the trial at this stage.
The Supreme Court bench advised Raju to raise these concerns before the high court, emphasizing that the matter remains pending there.
It suggested that the ED’s plea be kept pending in the Supreme Court while the agency seeks to lift the stay in the high court. Raju agreed and requested an expedited process for their application to be filed in the high court.
The bench then scheduled the ED’s plea for hearing on November 25, instructing the high court to consider the agency’s application within seven days of its submission.
The bench stated that, “Bring the relevant facts to the knowledge of the high court, and meanwhile we are keeping your petition pending here.”
A special PMLA court in Ranchi had previously framed charges against Koda and five others, citing involvement in a money laundering scheme related to approximately ₹3,500 crore.
Koda is accused of laundering money and facilitating the generation of proceeds of crime during his time as mines minister in Jharkhand from February 2005 to September 2006, and as chief minister from September 2005 to August 2008.
As the case progresses, the interactions between the ED and the judiciary will be crucial in determining the future of the trial and the legal strategies employed by Koda and his associates.
The outcome of the ED’s application in the high court could significantly impact the trial proceedings, bringing to light the complexities involved in high-profile corruption cases.
