6 months ago
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The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-VIII, Ernakulam, has issued notices to a Kollam-based industrialist, engaged successful cashew trade, and his mother, pursuing a ailment filed by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) nether the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The bureau accused them of repeatedly ignoring summons issued for their appearance.
The accused person been identified arsenic Aneesh Babu, 34, of Ambalakkara successful Kollam, and his mother, Anitha Babu, 54. The ED initiated investigations against them and others based connected 5 antithetic First Information Reports registered by the State constabulary for offences including forgery and cheating. The ailment was filed by peculiar nationalist authoritative M.J. Santosh. This is reportedly the archetypal clip successful Kerala that enactment has been taken against individuals for disregarding ED summons.
Between September 2021 and December 2025, Mr. Babu was issued 8 summons and his parent seven. He failed to look connected 7 occasions and was non-cooperative connected the 1 juncture helium did attend. Ms. Babu failed to look six times and did not nutrient applicable documents erstwhile she attended once. The ED alleged that the accused had nary satisfactory mentation for their repeated non-attendance, thereby intentionally disobeying directions issued nether Section 50 of the PMLA.
“As per Section 63(2)(c) of PMLA, 2002, immoderate idiosyncratic to whom a summons is issued either to be to springiness grounds oregon nutrient documents and omits to be oregon nutrient documents shall wage a punishment of not little than ₹500 and up to ₹10,000 for each default oregon failure,” the bureau noted.
‘Deliberate disobedience’
In its complaint, the ED submitted that the accused’s repeated non-attendance and nonaccomplishment to nutrient documents amounted to deliberate disobedience of lawful directions. This, it argued, prevented investigators from identifying the usage and concealment of proceeds of crime.
On Mr. Babu’s bail plea, the Kerala High Courthad earlier observed that the “accused is not cooperating with the probe and custodial interrogation of the applicant appears to beryllium necessary.” His anticipatory bail pleas were dismissed by the sessions court, the High Court, and the Supreme Court.
