Big relief for K M Shaji; High Court quashes ED initiated case against Ex-MLA

KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate was taken aback after the high court stopped all legal proceedings against IUML leader K M Shaji on the infamous 'plus two bribery case'. The High Court earlier stymied the proceedings against Shaji after the vigilance registered a case against the IUML leader for the same case.

In his tenure as MLA, Shaji was accused of taking a bribe of Rs 25 lakhs, in the promise of bringing standard 12th to Azhikode school. Shaji was thus charged with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED was moving ahead with the seizure of all of Shaji’s assets, expecting a positive outcome from the court but HC decided to act otherwise. ED claimed K M Shaji purchased a property with the bribe money, in an attempt to convert the black money white and evade scrutiny.

The Court quashed the order passed by the ED under Section 5(1) of the PMLA, ordering provisional attachment of the petitioner’s property.