Madras High Court Closes Film Producer's Plea Against ED Case Linked To TASMAC, Permits Him To Approach PMLA Appellate Tribunal

The bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that a similar plea challenging the ED action against another individual was closed, granting him liberty to raise issues before the Adjudicating Authority.

In the present case also, noting that the Adjudicating Authority had confirmed the attachment of property, the court closed the plea, granting liberty to Bhaskar to raise issues before the Authority.

The court also took note of the submissions made by the Additional Solicitor General informing the court that an earlier notice issued to Bhaskar would be withdrawn and fresh proceedings would be undertaken. Considering the same, the court was inclined to close the plea.

“Considering the fact that the connected writ petition assailing the same search proceedings has been closed, relegating the party to raise all the issues before the Appellate Authority and also in view of the submissions made by the learned Additional Solicitor General that the notice issued by the Adjudicating Authority would be withdrawn and proceedings afresh would be undertaken in accordance with law, we deem it fit to close the writ petition, leaving it open to the petitioner to raise all the grounds assailing the search before the Appellate Tribunal,” the court noted.

It may be noted that on May 16, 2025, the ED had conducted search operations in the office and residence of Bhaskaran in connection with alleged money laundering linked to TASMAC. On June 20, the High Court had stayed the proceedings initiated by the ED, directing it to return all materials seized from Bhaskar and another businessman. The court had held that the authorisation based on which the ED had conducted searches was without jurisdiction since there was no incriminating material against Bhaskar.

The ED had later issued a statutory notice to Bhaskar despite the High Court's stay order. This led to the filing of a contempt petition in which the court, expressing displeasure, summoned the Assistant Director of the ED, who later apologised to the court. A notice was also issued to the Chairperson and Registrar of the Adjudicating Authority for continuing to adjudicate the case.

The court noted that the very search proceedings of ED were challenged by another person, in which the court, noting that the Adjudicating Authority had confirmed the attachment proceedings, had relegated the petitioner to the authority.

Since a similar plea was relegated to the Adjudicating Authority, the court deemed it fit to follow the same approach in the present plea also. Thus, the court closed the plea and gave liberty to the petitioner to raise issues before the Authority.

Counsel for Appellant: Mr. Manishankar Senior Counsel for Mr. K. M. Kalicharan

Counsel for Respondent: Mr. S. V. Raju Additional Solicitor General Assisted by Mr. Zoheb Hossain Special Public Prosecutor for ED Cases and Mr. N. Ramesh Special Public Prosecutor for ED Cases

Case Title: Akash Baskaran v The Joint Director

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 242

Case No: W.P. (Crl)No 71 of 2025