Supreme Court Allows ED Officer Accused In Bribery Case To Travel Outside Tamil Nadu

The Supreme Court today allowed Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer Ankit Tiwari, who was arrested by Tamil Nadu authorities in a bribery case but later granted interim bail, to travel to Madhya Pradesh in order to meet his relatives.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order on an application moved by Tiwari seeking the court's permission to travel outside Tamil Nadu. The same was filed as, while granting Tiwari interim bail, the Court had imposed a condition that he shall not leave Tamil Nadu without its permission.

Dictating the order, Justice Kant said, "the order dated 20.03.2024 is modified/clarified to the extent that the petitioner is permitted to visit the State of Madhya Pradesh to meet his family members/relatives upto 09.11.2024. However, if there is any date fixed by the Trial Court before 09.11.2024, the petitioner shall remain present before the Trial Court on the date fixed".

To recap, the ED officer was arrested by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in December, 2023 for allegedly collecting a bribe of Rs. 20 lakhs from a government doctor by threatening to reopen a case against him.

Through the present petition, he challenged a December 20 order of the Madras High Court denying him regular bail. After his second bail application was also dismissed by the High Court, Tiwari filed an application in the pending case as well as a separate special leave petition.

In response to his pleas, the Supreme Court directed Tiwari's release on interim bail in March this year. However, this interim relief was subject to certain conditions, including that he shall not leave Tamil Nadu without the court's permission. Accordingly, an application was moved by Tiwari seeking permission to travel to Madhya Pradesh, in order to meet his relatives.

Notably, the Court is also hearing a separate plea filed by ED seeking transfer of the probe into bribery allegations against Tiwari from the Tamil Nadu DVAC to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Alleging non-cooperation of the state government, the central agency has claimed in its petition under Article 32 of the Constitution that the Tamil Nadu police has deliberately hindered its access to first information reports (FIRs) and material necessary for fulfilling its obligations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Appearance: Advocate Shivam Singh (for Ankit Tiwari); Sr AAG Amit Anand Tiwari (for Tamil Nadu)

Case Title: Ankit Tiwari v. Inspector of Police | Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 3342-3343 of 2024

Click here to read the order