Supreme Court Grants Interim Protection To Odisha Administrative Service Officer Bijaya Ketan Sahoo In Money Laundering Case

The Supreme Court today (June 24)  granted interim protection from arrest to Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Officer Bijaya Ketan Sahoo accused of money laundering in connection with a disproportionate assets case. The Court directed Sahoo to appear before the Special Court within two weeks and furnish his bail bonds. 

The vacation bench of Justices A.S Oka and Rajesh Bindal while issuing notice in the plea for anticipatory bail filed by Sahoo granted protection on the condition that he appear before the Special Court within 2 weeks and furnish bonds under S. 88 of the CrPC

"Issue notice, returnable on 29th of July, the Petitioner shall not be arrested in connection with complaint , subject to the condition that within two weeks from today, the petitioner must appear before the Special Court and furnish bonds under S. 88 of the CrPC" 

Sahoo in his plea had sought anticipatory bail in a case related to money laundering filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him, alleging the possession of disproportionate assets worth Rs. 5 crore. 

The Counsel for the petitioner clarified that Sahoo had been cooperating in the investigation for three years and was not arrested. The present anticipatory bail petition was filed only after a summons notice was issued by the PMLA Court. 

The case pertains to an FIR lodged against Sahoo and her wife Nalini Prusty, a State Financial Official along with a few other family members for possessing assets disproportionate to their income. This subsequently led to an initiation of probe by the ED under the PMLA and summons were also issued to Sahoo for appearance by the Special Court, Bhubaneswar. 

Sahoo and his wife have been alleged to have acquired various properties including 6 plots and a triple-storied structure in Bhubaneswar under the name of their relative who was unable to show any independent source of income. 

Case Details : BIJAY KETAN SAHOO VS. ENFORCEMENT DIRECTORATE DIARY NO. - 23039/2024

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