Regular bail under PMLA granted after charge sheet filing, completed investigation, and satisfaction of the statutory bail threshold.

Regular bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was considered in light of Section 45 and Section 439 CrPC. The Court noted that the prosecution had been heard, investigation qua the petitioner was complete, and the charge sheet had been filed; these factors, together with the petitioner's age, custody period, and the likelihood of delay in trial, supported release. It also considered the asserted cross-border nature of the matter, the mutual legal assistance basis of the prosecution, the arguable double jeopardy point, and the circumstances surrounding arrest. On these facts, the petitioner was found to satisfy the statutory bail threshold and was granted regular bail subject to conditions.

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Issues: Whether the petitioner was entitled to regular bail in a prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, having regard to Section 45, the completion of investigation, the filing of the charge sheet, the alleged cross-border character of the conduct, and the circumstances of arrest.

Analysis: The petition was considered under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 read with the bail restrictions under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The Court noted that the public prosecutor had been heard, the investigation qua the petitioner stood complete, and the charge sheet had already been filed. It also took into account the petitioner's age, the period of custody, and the likelihood of delay in conclusion of trial. The Court further considered the petitioner's contention that the prosecution had arisen from mutual legal assistance and that there was an arguable issue of double jeopardy, as well as the circumstance that the petitioner had appeared before the authorities on earlier occasions and that the manner of arrest on the basis of the lookout circular had not been brought to the notice of the writ court.

Conclusion: The petitioner was held to satisfy the requirement of Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and regular bail was granted, subject to conditions.

Ratio Decidendi: In a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, once the prosecution has been heard and the court is satisfied, on the facts of the case, that the accused meets the statutory bail threshold, completion of investigation and filing of the charge sheet may justify release on regular bail with suitable safeguards.

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