Anticipatory bail in a money-laundering investigation may be...

Anticipatory bail in a money-laundering investigation may be refused where prima facie material indicates serious allegations and the accused has not cooperated with the investigation. The High Court considered alleged control of illegal call-centre operations, layering of proceeds through shell entities and hawala channels, unexplained bank credits, failure to join the investigation, an incomplete statement, and unanswered financial-trail queries. It clarified that custodial interrogation need not be indispensable for refusing anticipatory bail; the gravity of the allegations and prima facie material can independently weigh against discretionary protection. Anticipatory bail was declined without addressing the merits of the investigation.