Madras High Court: Supplementary PMLA Complaint Is Not A Fresh Complaint

The Madras High Court ruled that a supplementary complaint filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is not a “fresh complaint” but merely an addition to the original complaint, brought on record due to later-collected evidence. The Court clarified that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is empowered to file such supplementary complaints under Section 173(8) CrPC principles. It held that the accused cannot claim prejudice merely because new materials were added during the investigation. The ruling aligns PMLA procedure with traditional criminal procedure and ensures continuity in prosecution.