Money laundering accused cannot seek blanket arrest protection without challenging FIRs under Section 438 CrPC

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....The HC dismissed a writ petition filed by a petitioner accused in money laundering charges involving bribery of rice millers for approving sub-standard rice. The petitioner sought interim protection from arrest and coercive action without praying for quashing of twelve FIRs/ECIRs registered against him. The HC held the petition not maintainable, ruling that blanket protection orders cannot be granted without seeking FIR quashment. The court emphasized that accused persons must exhaust statutory remedies under Section 438 CrPC for anticipatory bail or approach under Section 482 CrPC for quashing proceedings before filing Article 226 petitions. The HC noted that granting blanket orders would adversely affect ongoing investigations and undermine rule of law, following Supreme Court precedent in Ravuri Krishna Murthy regarding similar protection orders.....