Archive · 17 Aug 2025
Delhi Court Discharges Journalist in Money Laundering Case
A Delhi court cleared journalist Rajeev Sharma and two others of money laundering charges.
The government accused Sharma of spying for China and receiving money through illegal channels.
However, the court decided that because the original charges (espionage) aren't on the list of offenses that can trigger money laundering charges, the case couldn't proceed.
The court rejected the government's argument that Sharma's actions implicitly involved another offense, emphasizing that the money laundering case was built on a weak foundation.
Delhi court discharged journalist Rajeev Sharma and two others in a money laundering case.
The ED's prosecution was dismissed because the underlying offense, espionage, is not a scheduled offense under PMLA.
Sharma was initially booked in 2020 under the Official Secrets Act for alleged links to Chinese intelligence.
The ED claimed that Sharma's actions implicitly involved a property offense (Section 411 IPC), but the court disagreed.
The court stated the PMLA prosecution lacked legal foundation, as the predicate offenses were not scheduled.
- Who
- Rajeev Sharma, Qing Shi, and Sher Singh alias Raj Bohara, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
- What
- Delhi court discharged journalist Rajeev Sharma and two others in a money laundering case.
- When
- July 16 (order made public August 11).
- Where
- Delhi, India.
- Why
- The court determined the prosecution was without jurisdiction because the predicate offense was not a scheduled offense under the PMLA.
Enforcement Directorate (ED)
Delhi Court
Inference of Property Offense
Enforcement Directorate (ED)
The accused implicitly committed a property offense (Section 411 IPC), which is a scheduled offense.
Delhi Court
The court found this argument to be unsupported by the facts and legally untenable, emphasizing the ED was attempting to expand the scope of the predicate case.
- Case Type
- Money Laundering
- Accused
- Rajeev Sharma, Qing Shi, Sher Singh alias Raj Bohara
- Accusing Agency
- Enforcement Directorate (ED)
- Predicate Offense
- Official Secrets Act violation (espionage)
- Court
- Patiala House Court
- Ruling
- Discharge of accused