What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
In a significant development on Thursday, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to former Chhattisgarh bureaucrat Anil Tuteja.
NEW DELHI: In a significant development on Thursday, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to former Chhattisgarh bureaucrat Anil Tuteja. This decision was made in response to Tuteja’s plea challenging the Allahabad High Court’s refusal to quash criminal proceedings against him in Uttar Pradesh, linked to the Chhattisgarh liquor scam.
The division bench, comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih, extended interim relief to Tuteja, noting that other accused individuals in the case had already received similar protections from the apex court. The Court ordered that even if Tuteja appears before the trial court in compliance with the High Court’s decision, he shall not be taken into custody.
ALSO READ: Elon Musk’s ‘beautiful movie’ praise for ‘Your Name’ boosts anime’s global appeal
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the State of Uttar Pradesh on Tuteja’s plea, with further hearings scheduled for January 21. The case initially garnered attention when, on October 4, the Allahabad High Court dismissed pleas to quash proceedings against Tuteja, Anwar Dhebar (the brother of Raipur’s mayor), and two others.
The accusations against Tuteja and his associates stem from an alleged ₹2,000 crore liquor syndicate that reportedly operated in Chhattisgarh under the administration of Congress Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The ED initiated a money laundering investigation in July 2023, later uncovering potential links to Uttar Pradesh.
ALSO READ: Elon Musk calls for reducing “choking regulations” to boost innovation, progress
Witness testimonies gathered by the ED suggested that a Noida-based company might have illegally supplied holograms, used to verify liquor bottle authentication and excise duty payments, to Chhattisgarh’s Excise Department. Acting on the ED’s findings from July 28, 2023, Uttar Pradesh authorities registered an FIR against Tuteja and others on July 30, 2023.
In an earlier ruling on April 8, 2024, the Supreme Court had quashed the ED’s July 2023 money laundering complaint due to the absence of a predicate offence—since the Income Tax Act violations cited were not included in the PMLA’s list of scheduled offences. Following this, Tuteja and the other accused petitioned the Allahabad High Court to dismiss the Uttar Pradesh FIR.
The Allahabad High Court, however, ruled that the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the ED case did not preclude ongoing criminal proceedings in Uttar Pradesh against Tuteja and others. It held that ED witness statements, recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA and shared with the Uttar Pradesh police, could still substantiate criminal proceedings.
Consequently, Tuteja and the other accused appealed to the Supreme Court. The apex court, upon reviewing their cases, reissued notices to some respondents due to pending notice delivery.
