JUDGMENT

Sashikanta Mishra, J.

The petitioners are in custody since 08.06.2023 having been remanded in Criminal PML Case No. 6 of 2023 of the Court of learned Sessions Judge, Khordha at Bhubaneswar for the alleged commission of offence under Section 3 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (for short, 'the Act') punishable under Section 4 of the said Act.

2. The above case has arisen out of a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (E.D.) under Section 44 of the PML Act. It is alleged in the complaint that both the petitioners are accused of committing offences under Sections 21(c) and 29 of the N.D.P.S. Act in Sahadevkhunta P.S. Case No.352 dated 27.10.2022. Said offences are predicate/schedule offences as per the PML Act. It is alleged that the petitioners and five other persons were found to be in possession of 10 kgs 394 grams of contraband brown sugar on their personal search, which is worth Rs.10.39 crores. Charge sheet has been submitted on 21.04.2023 in the said case under Sections 21(c)/29 of N.D.P.S Act read with Section 120(B) of IPC.

3. All these offences, as already stated, being scheduled offences as per the PML Act, investigation of the case under Sections 22