Kerala HC gives ED official interim protection from arrest

Kochi, June 2 In an interim order, the Kerala High Court on Monday barred the arrest of the Enforcement Directorate's Assistant Director in Kochi, Sekhar Kumar, till June 11.

Trouble started for Kumar last month when the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) registered a First Information Report (FIR) naming him as the first accused in a high-profile alleged corruption case in which three arrests have already been made.

The VACB had arrested three people - chartered accountant Ranjith Warrier, middleman Wilson, and Rajasthan resident Mukesh Jain, who has been settled in Kochi for a long time.

The case revolves around a Kollam-based businessman engaged in cashew exports to an African country, who reportedly suffered significant financial losses during the Covid-19 pandemic after being defrauded by a foreign client.

This led to an investigation by the ED, during which the businessman was issued a summons.

Around this time, Wilson allegedly approached the businessman, claiming he had influential contacts within the ED and could help him "settle" the case.

Wilson demanded Rs 2 crore to be paid in four equal instalments, promising that the ED inquiry would be dropped.

Shortly thereafter, the businessman received a second ED summons -- just as Wilson had predicted, leading him to get suspicious.

When Wilson later asked for Rs 2 lakh in cash, the businessman alerted VACB officials.

To establish evidence, the businessman was advised to hand over the cash and also make a bank transfer, enabling the officials to track the money trail. Wilson was caught red-handed while collecting the cash and was taken into custody.

Later, the VACB officials arrested Jain and Warrier.

It was at this time that Kumar moved an anticipatory bail at the High Court. In his petition, he said that he has done no wrong, has nothing to do with the so-called corruption case and with the three people who were arrested.

He also added that he fears arrest and seeks bail and is agreeable to any conditions put forward by the court.

The Court will now hear the petition on June 11.

Meanwhile, the VACB team on Monday evening arrived at the Kochi office of the ED to collect more information in the case.

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