Bureau Prayagraj- MPs/MLAs Court in Mumbai has given a big verdict in the scam of Rs 25000 crore to Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB). The court acquitted all the accused including NCP MLA Rohit Pawar in the money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Special Judge Mahesh Jadhav said in his judgment that in the absence of the original crime, the case of money laundering cannot stand. He also added that when the closure report is accepted by a competent court in the original offence, he is considered acquitted.

Actually, this ED case was to the FIR registered by the Economic Offenses Wing of Mumbai Police in August 2019. It was alleged that the then officers and directors of MSCB sold the cooperative sugar mills at extremely low prices without following the rules.

However, recently the MP/MLA court had accepted the closure report filed by EOW in this FIR. On this basis, the accused had also sought relief from the ED case. In the decision, the judge has said an important thing by citing an important decision of the Supreme Court.

He said that any action under PMLA is possible only when a substantive offense exists. Every case of PMLA is based on a previous crime. ED opposed these petitions in the court. The agency said that the writ petition filed in 2021 is still pending in the Bombay High Court.

ED had also urged the court to decide on the acquittal application only on the basis of the facts of the money laundering investigation. However, the court made it clear that if the High Court passes an order in favor of the ED, it can restart the proceedings. This scam was to loans given by co-operative banks to co-operative sugar mills, spinning mills and other institutions, ignoring the rules.