SC lifts Delhi HC order staying regular bail to an accused in money laundering case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday lifted an interim order of the Delhi High Court placing a stay on the grant of regular bail to an accused in a money laundering case.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta said that the June 2023 decision of the trial court granting bail should ensured for the benefit of the petitioner.

In an interim order passed on June 23 last year, the Delhi High Court stayed the regular bail granted to appellant Parvinder Singh Khurana by the Rouse Avenue Court. Subsequently, it adjourned the hearing on the stay vacation application and kept extending the stay order.

The special leave petition, filed before the apex court through advocate Madhusmita Bora, said that the petitioner has not been able to enjoy the fruits of the bail order even after so many months of its passing for reasons which are not attributable to him at all. It said that the High Court had erred in granting a stay on bail order without citing any reason.

"This is one glaring case where due to administrative and judicial delays, an undertrial is not being able to enjoy the fruits of a bail order and instead is languishing in jail for more than 11 months," the plea added.

The trial court had granted regular bail to the petitioner upon satisfaction of the twin conditions as per Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 on broad probability.

The apex court will take up the matter for further hearing on July 11.