New Delhi, September 30: Pune-based stud farm owner, Hassan Ali Khan, would continue to remain in jail as the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday cancelled his bail granted to him by the Bombay high court in a money laundering case.
A bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir allowed Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) plea challenging the August 12 HC order that ordered release of 58-year-old Khan on bail.
The bench read out the order, stating: “… order of the high court (HC) needs to be interfered with. Bail granted to Hassan Ali stands cancelled.”
The Supreme Court on August 16 had stayed the HC order granting bail to Ali. The stay order came on ED’s appeal challenging the release. Hassan Ali has been accused of holding two forged passports and faces charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). His arrest on March 7 was immediately after the SC slammed the government over its inaction against the black money hoarders including Hassan Ali.
The ED had first issued a “look out” circular against him on March 4 and raided his premises on March 7.
In its appeal before the SC, ED said granting bail to Hassan Ali would help him flee from India. The agency counsel and additional solicitor general (ASG) Hiren Raval argued against the bail and said Hassan Ali’s bank accounts were abroad and “there were all the reasons to flee from the country and never come back.”
“The documents reveal that Khan has huge funds in his accounts to the extent of $800 million with a bank outside ,” ED contended.
The high court had granted bail to Khan on August 12 after saying the ED had failed to show the wealth amassed by him was proceeds of crime. The agency also linked him to international arms dealer, Adnan Khashoggi.
—Agencies