The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday agreed to examine a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the anticipatory bail granted to Anup Majee, a director of a private firm allegedly at the center of a massive money laundering case. The case involves the illegal excavation and pilferage of coal, a fraud estimated by investigators to exceed ₹2,700 crore.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and Vijay Bishnoi issued a formal notice to Majee, seeking his response to the federal agency’s plea. The matter is now scheduled for further hearing in September.
The ED’s challenge targets a June 2023 order from the Delhi High Court which provided Majee protection from arrest. Representing the ED, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju argued forcefully for the cancellation of this bail, characterizing Majee as the “kingpin” of a scheme that plundered national resources.
According to the agency, the misappropriation occurred within the Eastern Coalfield Limited leasehold area. The ED alleges that coal worth approximately ₹2,742.32 crore was siphoned off through illegal mining operations and theft.
During the proceedings, Raju highlighted that Majee had been absconding for a significant period. However, the bench raised questions regarding the agency’s previous actions, asking, “He was there in the custody of the CBI. Why you did not take him into custody?”
In response to the ED’s claims that Majee had only recently begun to cooperate after receiving court protection, the defense maintained that the accused has been fully transparent with investigators.
Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, appearing for Majee, told the court that his client has already appeared before the probe agency 13 times. The defense argued that custodial interrogation is unnecessary, as Majee has consistently joined the investigation and fulfilled all requirements set by the authorities.
The legal battle stems from a money laundering case originally registered in 2020. At the heart of the investigation is a firm involved in the purchase and sale of coal, which authorities claim was used as a vehicle for the multi-crore fraud.
While the Delhi High Court previously leaned in favor of Majee’s application for anticipatory bail, the Supreme Court’s decision to issue notice signals a high-level review of whether the gravity of the alleged “plunder of national resources” warrants a reversal of that protection.
The court’s upcoming September hearing is expected to weigh the necessity of custodial interrogation against the accused’s history of cooperation with the probe.
