Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed an interim order after issuing notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and stayed the proceedings till the next date of hearing.
Published Apr 29, 2025 | 8:27 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 29, 2025 | 8:27 AM
Karnataka High Court building.
Synopsis: The Karnataka High Court passed an interim order and stayed the proceedings in a money laundering case against Amnesty International India Private Limited and its former director Aakar Patel.
The Karnataka High Court on Monday, 28 April, stayed the proceedings initiated under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, against Amnesty International India Private Limited and its former director, journalist and author Aakar Patel.
Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed an interim order after issuing notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and stayed the proceedings till the next date of hearing.
“Ld counsel for the petitioners submits that a coordinate bench of this court in Criminal Petition No 2508/2024 (G Ananthapadmanabhan) has granted interim order in favour A-3. The allegations against accused no 1 and 4 are similar, interim order as prayed for so far as petitioners are concerned, till the next date of hearing,” the court said in its order, reported LiveLaw.
The petitioners had approached the high court seeking to set aside an order passed by a lower court on 2 June 2022, and to quash a complaint filed by the ED under sections 44, 45(1), 3, 70, and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
ED filed the money-laundering case after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR against the accused, where it alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010 and charges under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The central agency said that Amnesty International India was granted permission under FCRA in 2010 to receive foreign contributions from Amnesty International (UK) for 2011-12, which was later revoked.
It alleged that two new entities were formed in 2013-14 and 2012-13 to escape the FCRA route and that these entities received foreign exchange in the guise of service export and FDI.
Amnesty India denied the allegations of money laundering levelled against them and said the charges are “patently untrue”.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
