Supreme Court Relief for Accused in Money Laundering and Fraud Case

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to an accused in a money laundering case involving allegations that he posed as a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers to collect money from people on the pretext of getting their work done. The apex court set aside the February 5 order of the Allahabad High Court, which had denied bail to the accused, Mohammad Kashif. A bench comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh passed the order after Kashif gave an undertaking that he would not use the names of high constitutional authorities in the future. Kashif has been in jail for nearly three years. The Supreme Court also directed him to cooperate with the trial proceedings. The court stated that if he fails to cooperate, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) would be free to seek cancellation of his bail. The ED case, registered on April 19, 2023, is based on a cheating and forgery case filed at a police station in Gautam Buddh Nagar. According to the Uttar Pradesh Police, Kashif allegedly collected money by presenting himself as a close aide of Prime Minister Modi and Union ministers, claiming he could facilitate work in government departments. Investigating agencies alleged that Kashif uploaded morphed and edited photographs with the Prime Minister and Union ministers on his Facebook and Instagram accounts to influence people and obtain financial benefits illegally. The ED further alleged that by projecting himself as being closely connected with ministers, Kashif managed to secure work contracts from the Rajasthan government and other departments.