ORDER :

1. The present criminal petition is filed under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code [hereinafter ‘CrPC’] to quash the prosecution complaint bearing S.C. No. 242 of 2021 in ECIR/HYZO/06/2018 [hereinafter ‘impugned prosecution complaint’] pending on the file of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge – cum – Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 [hereinafter ‘Special Court’]. The Petitioner also seeks to quash the order dated 09.08.2021 whereby summons were issued to him to appear before the Special Court and also the summons.

2. Heard Mr. Kumar Vaibhav, learned counsel representing Mr. R. Giri Kumar, learned counsel on record for the Petitioner; Mr. B. Narasimha Sarma, the learned Additional Solicitor General representing Mr. V. Rama Krishna Reddy, the learned Standing Counsel for the Respondent.

3. Hereinafter, the phrases ‘predicate offence’ and ‘scheduled offence’ are used interchangeably.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

4. The present case is infamously known as the ‘vote for note’ case.

In brief, the relevant facts are that, on 28.05.2015, Mr. Elvis Stephenson [hereinafter ‘Complainant’], a sitting MLA then, addressed a letter to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Te