Overview
- Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya on October 31 dismissed Khaira’s plea to defer the Enforcement Directorate case, upholding that money laundering is an independent offence.
- The court said the PMLA prosecution can proceed even if Khaira is acquitted in the scheduled offences because proceeds of crime stand established through a co-accused’s conviction.
- The NDPS trial remains stayed per the Supreme Court’s interim position from April 2024, while the PMLA case before the Special Court continues with eight of 39 witnesses examined.
- ED alleges Khaira received about Rs 3.84 crore linked to a 2015 Fazilka heroin racket, with claims of protection to a convict and use of illicit funds for election expenses; an ECIR was filed on January 21, 2021 and Khaira was arrested in November 2021 before securing bail.
- The High Court relied on Supreme Court precedents including Vijay Madanlal Choudhary and Pavana Dibbur and distinguished the Telangana High Court’s Bharti Cement ruling.