Delhi HC grants regular bail to influencer Sandeepa Virk in a money laundering case linked to cheating and fake products. The court cited a nearly decade-long delay in the ED's investigation and noted that she is a woman accused.
Observing that keeping the accused behind bars in a case initiated nearly a decade after the alleged transactions would be unjustified, the Delhi High Court has granted regular bail to social media influencer Sandeepa Virk in a money laundering case linked to alleged cheating and sale of fake beauty products.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, while allowing Virk's bail plea, noted the prolonged and unexplained delay in invoking the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The Court noted that the alleged predicate transactions dated back to the period between 2008 and 2013, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recorded the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) only in 2025, almost nine years after registration of the FIR.
Allegations Against Virk
The Court was hearing a bail application filed by Virk, who has been accused of laundering proceeds of crime arising from an alleged cheating case in which a woman was purportedly duped of nearly Rs 6 crore on the pretext of being offered a lead role in a film. The ED has also alleged that Virk ran a fake e-commerce website selling spurious beauty products and used part of the alleged proceeds to acquire immovable properties and finance a lavish lifestyle.
Court's Observations
In its detailed order, the Court took note of the fact that Virk was neither charge-sheeted by the police in the original FIR nor summoned by the magistrate in subsequent private complaint proceedings. The Court also recorded that a substantial portion of the alleged amount around Rs 2.7 crore had already been returned to the complainant by the main accused, who continues to be absconding and has not been arrested by the ED.
Legal Rationale for Bail
Importantly, the High Court reiterated that in the case of a woman accused, the stringent "twin conditions" for bail under Section 45 of the PMLA are not mandatory, and bail can be considered on ordinary principles. It further held that the investigation against Virk was complete, the prosecution complaint had already been filed, and the trial was unlikely to conclude in the near future.
Bail Conditions
Granting bail, the Court directed that Virk be released on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties, subject to strict conditions including surrender of passport, cooperation with investigation, and regular appearance before the trial court.
The Court clarified that its observations would not amount to an opinion on the merits of the case. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)