SC grants bail to former Jharkhand minister Anosh Ekka in disproportionate assets case

New Delhi [India], April 29 (ANI): The Supreme Court has granted bail to former Jharkhand minister Anosh Ekka in a disproportionate assets case.

Ekka had been convicted earlier by a Jharkhand court in the case.
A bench consisting of justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal on Friday directed to release Anosh Ekka on bail observing he had already spent 5 years and 6 months in custody in connection with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case and has completed the period of seven years in the CBI case.

“In the meantime, since the petitioner has already spent 5 years and 6 months in custody in connection with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case and has completed the period of seven years in the CBI case, the petitioner shall be released on bail in both cases, subject to such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the Trial Court,” the top court said.

The top court also issued notice to the Centre on his plea challenging the Jharkhand High Court order dated January 20, 2023, upholding his conviction in the disproportionate assets cases being probed by CBI and ED.

Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave and advocates Vishal Kumar and Nikhil Jain appeared for Anosh Ekka.

Ekka has challenged a Jharkhand High Court order which has dismissed his appeal and upheld the trial court order dated January 20, 2023, convicting him in a disproportionate assets case being probed by CBI and ED.

A CBI Special Court in Ranchi on Feb 25, 2020, held petitioner Ekka guilty of offence under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sentenced the petitioner to undergo Rigorous Imprisonment of seven years and to pay a fine of Rs 50 Lakhs. On March 21, 2020, the trial court in Jharkhand convicted him under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Anosh Ekka then filed an appeal in Jharkhand HC against the trial court order but could not get any relief.

In 2008, a vigilance case was registered against Ekka under various provisions of IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, of 1988. Subsequently, CBI took over the investigation of the case. The charge sheet was filed against him alleging that Anosh Ekka while working as a minister in the then Jharkhand government had assets disproportionate to his known source of income.