HC grants bail to Sandeepa Virk in money laundering case
What's the story
The Delhi High Court has granted regular bail to actor-influencer Sandeepa Virk in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case. The case involves alleged proceeds of crime worth around ₹6cr. The court took into account her more than four months in judicial custody and noted that the main accused, Amit Gupta, has been declared a "proclaimed offender" and is still at large.
Allegations
Virk allegedly duped the complainant of ₹6cr
The allegations against Virk and Gupta involve duping the complainant and her family members of around ₹6cr. They reportedly promised the complainant a lead role in a film and persuaded her to invest money in its production. Virk was also accused of knowingly receiving proceeds of crime in her bank accounts and using the funds to purchase properties in Delhi and Mumbai, thereby being involved in the acquisition process under the PMLA.
E-commerce fraud
Virk allegedly used fake e-commerce site for money laundering
Virk was also accused of using a fake e-commerce website, hyboocare.com, for money laundering. The site claimed to sell FDA-approved beauty products. However, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly found that the products were fake. Despite these allegations, the court granted bail to Virk on December 27. The bail conditions require her to furnish a personal bond of ₹2 lakh with two sureties of the same amount, and to provide her mobile number and full address to the investigating office.
Judicial custody
Court emphasized on Virk's prolonged judicial custody
The court noted that Virk has been in judicial custody for more than four months and that the allegations pertain to transactions dating back to 2008-2013. The court also noted that the trial in the predicate offence has stalled because Gupta, the sole accused, is absconding (hiding). It further took into account that Virk is a woman, and therefore, the stringent bail conditions under Section 45 of the PMLA do not apply to her.
Opposition
ED opposed Virk's bail plea citing serious money laundering case
The ED's counsel, Samrat Goswami, opposed the bail application. He argued that the application was a "deliberate attempt" to downplay a "serious and well-documented money laundering" case by presenting it as an "ordinary criminal prosecution." The ED also pointed out that around ₹1cr of the alleged ₹6cr was directly transferred into Virk's bank accounts, which were neither denied nor satisfactorily explained by her.