New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): The Patiala House Court has held that interim bail in offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cannot be granted as a matter of routine and must be supported by compelling, immediate, and exceptional circumstances.

Emphasising the strict statutory framework, the court observed that the rigours of Section 45 of the PMLA cannot be diluted by resorting to interim relief in the absence of demonstrably urgent grounds.

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The court made these observations while dismissing an interim bail application filed by IPAC Director and co-founder Vinesh Kumar Chandel, who is accused in a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court noted that while humanitarian considerations were invoked, they must meet a high threshold of urgency and necessity, particularly in serious economic offences.

Rejecting the plea, the court observed that the accused had relied on the medical condition of his 74-year-old mother, stated to be suffering from dementia. However, the material placed on record did not disclose any sudden or life-threatening medical emergency requiring his immediate presence. The court remarked that dementia is a chronic and progressive condition, and the documents filed did not indicate any acute crisis that could not be managed through appropriate care and assistance.

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The court further noted that the medical records, including MRI reports and diagnoses such as hypertension, hypovitaminosis-D, dyslipidemia, fatty liver and osteoporosis, did not establish urgency. It also highlighted that no recent medical documents had been filed to corroborate claims of immediate deterioration. In the absence of such material, the plea of urgent medical necessity remained unsubstantiated.

Importantly, the court observed that other family members, including the accused's wife and brother, were present, and mere assertions that they were unable to provide care, without supporting material, could not justify the grant of interim bail. It reiterated that relief on humanitarian grounds must be based on clear, proximate and verifiable necessity, not on generalised hardship.

The court also took into account the nature of the allegations, noting that the case pertains to serious economic offences under the PMLA involving the alleged laundering of proceeds of crime through structured financial transactions, including splitting receipts between accounted and unaccounted cash components. It held that such allegations, which have implications on the financial system, require a cautious approach in matters of bail.

Concluding that the applicant failed to meet the threshold required for interim bail, the court held that the grounds urged, though sympathetic, did not rise to the level of urgency or exceptionality mandated under law. Accordingly, the interim bail application was dismissed.

Recently, a court remanded I-PAC Director and co-founder Vinesh Chandel to 14 days' judicial custody on April 23, 2026, after he was arrested in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged case of coal pilferage. Additional Sessions Judge Deepti Devesh had allowed the Enforcement Directorate's plea for judicial custody after the accused was produced upon expiry of his 10-day ED custody.

Chandel has also approached the Patiala House Court seeking regular bail. Additional Sessions Judge Dhirendra Rana has issued notice on the plea and directed the ED to file its response. The matter is listed for hearing on April 29. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)