Thaindian News

New Delhi, Mar 21 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday extended the custody of Pune-based stud farm owner Hasan Ali, who is alleged to have stashed away over eight billion dollars in Swiss banks, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) by three more days.

The apex court had on Thursday granted a four-day custody of Hasan Ali to the probe agency.

The Enforcement Directorate had earlier on Thursday approached the apex court challenging the refusal of its plea against Hasan Ali.

The apex court bench had earlier reproached the Centre for failing to subject Khan and other alleged money launderers to custodial interrogation.

In pursuant of the apex court’s direction, the ED had moved a remand application before the court of Principal Sessions Judge M L Tahaliyani on March 11, which, however, rejected the Directorate’s plea on the ground that the agency could not gather sufficient material in justification of its plea.

While rejecting the ED’s remand application, judge Tahaliyani had observed that had it had failed to back its charges in a money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

“No material evidence has been presented by the ED that shows any scheduled offence has been committed by Khan,” Tahaliyani had observed, ordering that Khan be enlarged on conditional bail.

The court granted him bail for Rs 80,000 and two sureties. The court refused to stay the order for ED to file an appeal in the higher court.

Ali, who also has been accused of forging documents to acquire multiple passports, was arrested on Monday night by the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The Income Tax Tribunal had on March 4 issued a showcause notice to Hasan Ali. (ANI)