Freelance Journalist Has Been Granted Bail By The Delhi High Court In Relation To A Money-Laundering Case

The petitioner has been granted bail, according to Justice Mukta Gupta, who issued the ruling on the metropolitan area journalist's bail plea. Eventually, the complete information will be provided. The ED objected to the bail request, claiming that the crime he committed had cross-border consequences and that if he was released, he would be unavailable for further investigation.

Sharma's lawyer has previously claimed that the suspected money laundering case stems from a police investigation into the Official Secrets Act (OSA), for which he was freed on default bail in 2020.

According to sources, Sharma allegedly provided classified material to Chinese intelligence agents during foreign trips, therefore part of the crime took place abroad. Sharma having benefited from the proceeds of crime in numerous foreign nations as a result of his abroad flights and costs, the offence in this case has cross-border ramifications.

It further claimed that Sharma had refused to participate with the investigation and had failed miserably to show even prima facie innocence under the money laundering statute at this level. Sharma had gone to the high court after being denied bail by a final judgment in July of last year.

On July 1, 2021, the ED arrested him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, the ED case stems from a Delhi Police FIR filed against Sharma in 2020 under the Official Secrets Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

On September 14, 2020, the journalist was detained by the Delhi Police's special cell and charged with giving out data to Chinese intelligence officers about the Indian Army's deployment and border strategy. Meanwhile, in December 2020, the Delhi high court granted him bail in the case.