A Delhi court has granted bail to former DMK leader Jaffer Sadiq in a drug-related case filed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
Despite this, he will remain in custody due to a separate money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The court has also ordered the issuance of a Look Out Circular against him.
Special NDPS Judge Sudhir Kumar Sirohi granted bail to Jaffer Sadiq, noting that the drugs were not recovered from his direct possession.
Case Details
Sadiq was released on bail after providing a bond worth Rs one lakh and two sureties of the same amount. He is required to surrender his passport and submit an affidavit if he does not have one. He must also obtain court permission before leaving the country.
On June 26, the ED arrested Jaffer Sadiq in connection with a drug-related money laundering case. He was interrogated by the ED while in Tihar jail, where he was held for the NDPS case. Last month, the court permitted the ED to question Sadiq in Tihar Jail.
Delhi’s Patiala House Court again allowed the ED to examine him in jail and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Special NDPS Judge Sudhir Kumar Sirohi granted the ED permission to examine Sadiq on June 25 and 26, instructing jail authorities to make necessary arrangements.
Special Public Prosecutor for ED, NK Matta, requested that ED officers be allowed to examine Sadiq and bring a laptop and printer for recording statements, confronting him with data related to the recovery of 50 kg of pseudoephedrine.
The court noted that the investigation conducted from May 8-10 was incomplete.
Case History
Earlier, on May 1, the court allowed the ED to record the statements of Jaffer Sadiq and four others in Tihar Jail.
The ED, represented by Special Public Prosecutor NK Matta, sought permission to examine and record the statements of Jaffer Sadiq, Mukesh PU, Mujeepur Rahaman R, Ashok Kumar, and SG Sadanandan under Section 50 of the PMLA for three days, from May 8 to May 10, 2024.
Special Judge Sudhir Kumar Sirohi approved this request and allowed ED officials to carry the necessary equipment for recording the statements.
The ED conducted raids at various locations in Tamil Nadu as part of an investigation into drug-related money laundering involving Jaffer Sadiq and others.
This action came after a case was registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Sadiq, who was earlier arrested by the NCB for his alleged involvement in an international drug trafficking case.
The ED registered its case a day after Sadiq’s arrest by the NCB.
According to official sources, the financial fraud investigation agency discovered Sadiq’s connections with some “high profile” individuals.
The NCB found that Sadiq led a network that sourced pseudoephedrine in India and trafficked it to Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia, disguised as food-grade cargo.
NCB officials believe that the syndicate operated by Sadiq sent 45 consignments containing approximately 3,500 kilograms of pseudoephedrine over 3 years to various countries.
