JUDGMENT

1. By way of this application, under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 [“BNSS”], read with Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 [“PMLA”], the petitioner seeks regular bail in connection with ECIR/54/DLZO-II/2021, dated 08.08.2021, under Sections 3 and 4 of the PMLA.

2. I have heard Mr. Anant Malik, learned counsel for the petitioner, and Mr. Vivek Gurnani, learned counsel for the Directorate of Enforcement [“ED”]. The counter affidavit of the respondent is also on record.

A. PROSECUTION CASE

3. The prosecution case, as it emerges from the material on record, is summarised hereinbelow:

A. The genesis of the present ECIR lies in an investigation pertaining to another ECIR/DLZO-II/05/2019 [“the 2019 ECIR”], related to Religare Finvest Limited. During the investigation in respect of the 2019 ECIR, it was found that one Ms. Aditi Singh had made certain financial transactions, on the basis of which she was summoned on 17.06.2021. Her statement was recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA, and she tendered her mobile phone.

B. After CDR and technical analysis of her phone, it was revealed that she was getting calls, purportedly from Go