Court extends judicial custody of Chhattisgarh CM's aide in money laundering case by 14 days
Dec 19, 2022
Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], December 19 : A special court on Monday extended the judicial remand of Soumya Chaurasia, Deputy Secretary of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for 14 more days in connection with an alleged money laundering case.
The court of justice Ajay Singh Rajput extended the judicial remand of Chaurasia.
Chaurasia was virtually presented before the court via video conferencing for the hearing. The next hearing on the matter will be held on January 2, 2023.
Advocate Dr Saurabh Kumar, representing Enforcement Directorate said, "During the hearing, we presented an application before the court to extend her judicial custody as the investigation into the matter is still going on. After listening to our arguments, the court accepted it and extended her judicial remand till January 2, next year."
"The probe into the matter is going on and we hope that it will be completed at the earliest. We demanded a 14-day judicial remand, and the court agreed to it. Now, Soumya Chaurasia will be produced again before the court on January 2," further said while talking to media persons.
Earlier on December 14, the court sent her on a judicial remand for five days. The ED arrested Chaurasia on December 2.
Earlier, Chaurasia's lawyer Maninder Singh said, "The ED told the court they did not have to interrogate Chaurasia further. She should be sent on judicial remand till the time of their investigation. During the hearing on December 14, ED had requested 14 days of judicial remand in the court on which the court granted five days judicial remand."
"ED has not presented the charge sheet before the court till now. I think nothing has come out in the 12 days that ED interrogated Chaurasia. Nonetheless, more things will be known when the ED presents the chart sheet before the court. If the charge sheet is not presented then Chaurasia will come out," Singh added.
ED has provisionally attached movable and 91 immovable properties worth Rs 152.31 Crore belonging to arrested bureaucrats including Chaurasia, IAS Sameer Vishnoi, and Suryakant Tiwari among others.
Out of the properties attached by ED, 65 belong to Suryakant Tiwari, 21 belong to Saumya Chaurasia and five belong to IAS Sameer Bishnoi. The attached properties include cash, jewellery, flats, coal washeries and plots of land located in Chhattisgarh. Agriculture lands admeasuring 63.38 acres in Hirri, Potiya and Sevati, Durg, Agriculture lands admeasuring 10 acres in Rasni and Arang, Raipur, Commercial land admeasuring 12 acres in Thakuraintola, Durg and Farm House have been attached.
