ORDER :

P.N.PRAKASH, J.

It appears that seven FIRs were registered by the Central Crime Branch, Chennai, for the offences under Sections 120-B and 420 IPC against one Dhanraj Kochar and others, for forgery, cheating and land grabbing. Since the FIRs disclosed the commission of a 'scheduled offence' under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (in short “the PML Act”), the Enforcement Directorate registered a case in ECIR No. CEZO-I/39/2021 on 31.03.2021, for quashing which, Dhanraj Kochar and others have filed the present criminal original petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C.

2. Inasmuch as the Registry entertained a doubt about the very maintainability of the petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C., the matter was posted for hearing under the caption “for maintainability”.

3. Heard Mr.P.Ramesh Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr.Rajnish Pathiyil, learned Special Public Prosecutor for the Enforcement Directorate.

4. Mr.Ramesh Kumar submitted that the impugned ECIR refers to the FIRs that were registered by the CCB and therefore, the present petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is maintainable. In support of his contention, he placed strong reliance on the judgments of the Del