PMLA case: SC seeks ED's response on bail plea of Yadav Singh

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was on Thursday directed by the Supreme Court to respond to the bail plea of former Noida Authority chief engineer Yadav Singh, chargesheeted in an alleged money laundering case.

A bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and L N Rao issued notice to the ED and asked it to file a reply on the plea within two weeks.

During the hearing, Singh's counsel contended that he should have been enlarged on statutory bail by the Allahabad Hight Court since the charge sheet was not filed against him within the stipulated 60-day period. The counsel referred to the apex court's recent judgement granting 'default bail' to an accused in an alleged corruption case, which involved the issue of statutory bail due to the failure of the probe agency in filing charge sheet within the stipulated 60- or 90-day period.

He contended that high court had denied bail to Yadav on the ground that the ED had filed a charge sheet against him, but the final report was submitted before the lower court after expiry of the 60 days period.