In a significant legal development, the Madras High Court, on Monday, granted conditional bail to Jaffer Sadiq, an expelled DMK functionary, and his brother Mohamed Saleem. Both were embroiled in a money laundering case, with Sadiq also facing charges in a major narcotics case.
Justice Sunder Mohan presided over the proceedings, where he considered the prolonged pre-trial detention of the accused and cited potential violations of their constitutional rights under Article 21. Sadiq was initially detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 26, 2024, at Tihar Jail, New Delhi, following his arrest by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in March 2024. The NCB charges related to his alleged involvement in smuggling approximately 3,500 kg of pseudoephedrine, valued over Rs 2,000 crore.
In his ruling, Justice Mohan imposed several stringent conditions on the bail, including the execution of a Rs 5 lakh bond with two like sureties for each petitioner. The accused are required to surrender their passports and maintain regular appearances before the trial court, failing which the ED has the authority to request bail cancellation.
Further, the petitioners are prohibited from contacting any witnesses, directly or indirectly, and must not tamper with evidence or influence witnesses throughout the investigation and trial. They are also required to register their mobile numbers with the court and report any changes.
The judge noted that all properties alleged to have been acquired through criminal proceeds had been attached, and with the investigation complete, the court found no substantial reason to extend their detention without trial. He highlighted the complexity of the case, with 20 accused and 19 witnesses, which suggested a protracted trial period not likely to conclude soon.
