1. The issue that arises for consideration in this case is whether the petitioner is entitled to be released on regular bail Digitally signed by Ashwani Kumar Date: 2024.05.18 12:31:50 IST Reason:

Signature Not Verified in Crime No.ECIR/RPZO/09/2022 dated 29.09.2022, registered at the Directorate of Enforcement, Zonal Office, Raipur, Chhattisgarh for the offences punishable under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (in short, ‘PMLA’).

2. The relevant facts are briefly noticed. FIR No.129/2022 was registered on 12.07.2022 at Police Station Kadugodi, Whitefield, Bengaluru, Karnataka, under Sections 186, 204, 353 read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short, ‘IPC’), against one Suryakant Tiwari and his associates. The said FIR was registered on a complaint by the Deputy Director of Income Tax Investigation, Foreign Assets Investigation Unit-1, Bengaluru, alleging that during the course of a search by Income Tax Department on 30.06.2022, Suryakant Tiwari obstructed the officials from carrying out their official duties and destroyed crucial incriminating documents and digi