In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court granted bail to Sunil Dammani, a Chhattisgarh-based businessman embroiled in a money laundering case connected to the notorious Mahadev betting app. Dammani, who has been in custody since August 23, 2023, received relief from the apex court which carefully sidestepped the merit of the allegations against him.
The bench, led by Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, overturned a previous decision by the Chhattisgarh High Court that had denied Dammani’s bail plea. “Without saying anything on merits, we are of the view that the appellant may be released on bail, subject to bail conditions,” stated the bench during the proceedings.
Under the terms set by the Supreme Court, Dammani is required to report every 15 days to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in his district. Additionally, he has been ordered not to leave the country without prior approval from the trial court.
During the hearing, Dammani’s counsel, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, highlighted that his client had been in jail for over 14 months, with the principal accused in the case still not participating in the investigation and the trial yet to commence.
Advocate Zoheb Hossain, representing the ED, opposed the bail plea, citing that Dammani, accused of overseeing hawala transactions exceeding Rs 5,000 crore, was a critical figure in the case. Hossain also noted that several key conspirators remain absconding, with red corner notices issued against them.
Despite the ED’s objections, the Supreme Court granted bail to Dammani, noting the duration of his detention and the filing of the charge sheet by the ED.
The ED’s case against Dammani and others stems from a 2022 FIR lodged by state police against the illegal operations of the Mahadev app. The probe linked Dammani and his brother, owners of a jewelry shop and a petrol station, to significant hawala transactions. Assistant Sub-Inspector Chandra Bhushan Verma and another accomplice were also arrested under accusations of accepting bribes to protect the involved parties from police action.
