The Supreme Court has granted bail to Bhagwan Bhagat and Sunil Yadav, who were arrested in connection with a money laundering case linked to Sahibganj Illegal Mining Case. The court imposed certain conditions as part of the bail order.
During the court proceedings, the lawyer representing the petitioners argued that 54 FIRs have been registered against the accused. However, the petitioners themselves are not named in any FIR, nor is there evidence linking them directly to the alleged crime. This argument was put forth before a bench comprising Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih.
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The lawyer further contended that there is no clear connection between the FIRs and the prosecution’s complaint. Bhagat and Yadav have been in custody for nearly a year. Their lawyer emphasized that this extended period of detention warranted a review of their bail application.
Despite these arguments, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed the bail application. The ED argued that bail should not be granted, citing concerns over the seriousness of the charges.
Both Bhagwan Bhagat and Sunil Yadav had been jailed since August 2023. Their bail pleas had previously been rejected by both the lower court and the High Court. The Ranchi PMLA Special Court has framed charges against them in the illegal mining money laundering case.
It is important to note that both accused are associates of Pankaj Mishra, who is the MLA representative of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. This connection adds a significant political dimension to the case. As the Supreme Court has now granted bail, the case continues to develop with ongoing legal and political implications.