Delhi HC Judge recuses self from hearing ED plea challenging bail granted to Ambience Group Promoter

New Delhi [India], May 3 : Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma of the Delhi High Court on Wednesday recused himself from hearing the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s plea challenging the trial court order granting bail to the businessman Raj Singh Gehlot, Ambience Group Promoter in a money laundering case related to bank loan alleged fraud case.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma's bench on Wednesday released the case from his roster and listed the matter for May 10, before another bench.

Raj Singh Gehlot was granted bail by Delhi's Patiala House Court last month.

The case relates to certain loans granted by a consortium of banks for constructing the Ambience Hotel at Shahdara, Delhi.

Arrested on July 28, 2021, Gehlot was earlier granted interim bail by a Delhi Court on medical grounds, which had been extended from time to time and continued till date. By way of the present order, the bail is now made permanent.

Gehlot was represented by Advocates Tanveer Ahmed Mir, Shikhar Sharma, Vaibhav Suri, Kartik Venu, Saud Khan, Fahad Khan, Swati Khanna and Yash Datt in the trial Court.

Gehlot was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) for allegedly committing bank fraud against the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Consortium.

According to the financial probe agency, it had initiated an investigation under PMLA on the basis of an FIR registered by State ACB, Jammu against Aman Hospitality Pvt Ltd (AHPL) and its Directors for money laundering in the construction and development of the 5-star 'Leela Ambience Convention Hotel' situated near the Yamuna Sports Complex in Delhi.

ED had earlier stated that an investigation under PMLA revealed that a huge part of a loan amount of more than Rs 800 crore, which was sanctioned by a consortium of banks for the hotel project, was siphoned off by AHPL and Raj Singh Gehlot and his associates through a web of compes controlled by them.