Supreme Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Jagannath Temple Priest In Money Laundering Case Under PMLA

The Supreme Court granted anticipatory bail to Rajkumar Daitapati, a priest at the Jagannath Temple, in a money laundering case under the PMLA. The case involved an FIR filed by foreign nationals against Kuldeep Sharma and his wife for cheating and fraud. Daitapati, acting as an intermediary, was accused of receiving and managing funds on behalf of the complainants. The court noted that Daitapati had deposited a significant portion of the alleged proceeds of crime with the RBI and directed him to deposit the remaining amount within three weeks. The court set aside the Rajasthan High Court’s order dismissing his bail application and emphasized that the grant of anticipatory bail should not be seen as an expression of opinion on the case’s merits. The decision underscores the judiciary’s role in balancing the rights of the accused with the need for thorough investigation in financial crimes.