SC issues notice on bail plea filed by M3M Group directors in PMLA case relating to bribing of special judge

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on bail plea filed by directors of Gurugram-based realty company M3M Group, Pankaj Bansal and Basant Bansal, in connection with a money laundering case pertaining to alleged bribing of a CBI/ED judge.

A bench of Justices A.S. Bopanna and M.M. Sundresh agreed to examine the special leave petition filed by Bansals and sought response of the Central government and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the matter.

It posted the pleas for further hearing on September 6.

In July, the Punjab & Haryana High Court denied bail to the Bansals after they were arrested in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering Act case pertaining to the alleged bribing of a former CBI/ED judge.

According to the FIR filed by the Haryana Police's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), reliable information was received that Sudhir Parmar, the then Special Judge in Panchkula, showed favouritism to Roop Kumar Bansal, Basant Bansal, and IREO Group owner Lalit Goyal, in the criminal cases of the ED under the PMLA and other cases of the CBI pending against the aforementioned accused individuals in his court in exchange for undue advantage.

It was alleged that the judge received undue benefits through his relative Ajay Parmar. Subsequently, Ajay Parmar was arrested. The ED on Thursday also arrested suspended special judge.