<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has issued an interim stay on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) money laundering proceedings against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) and its former head, Aakar Patel.</p>.<p>The case, which stems from a 2022 prosecution complaint, will remain on hold until further orders.</p>.<p>Justice Hemanth Chandangoudar recently granted temporary relief to both AIIPL and Patel, instructing the ED to refrain from advancing its probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).</p>.Karnataka HC quashes FIR against Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan .<p>The court also served notice to the ED, directing the agency to respond to the petitions filed by the two seeking to quash the case.</p>.<p>The ED had earlier filed a complaint in May 2022 against several individuals, including Patel, AIIPL, and former CEO G Ananthapadmanabhan, based on alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and linked money laundering activities.</p>.<p>The roots of the case go back to a 2019 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT), which accused the organisation of breaching FCRA norms.</p>.<p>The ED later took over, claiming that Amnesty India received funds from its UK counterpart through commercial means, allegedly to bypass FCRA restrictions.</p>.<p>Amnesty International India ceased operations in 2020 after its bank accounts were frozen by Indian authorities. At the time, the organisation described the action as part of a broader clampdown on civil society and maintained that the allegations were unfounded.</p>.<p>In granting the stay, the High Court observed that a similar interim order had been issued earlier in February to Ananthapadmanabhan by another bench, led by Justice SR Krishna Kumar.</p>.<p>Since the charges against Patel and AIIPL aligned with those in the previous case, the court found it appropriate to extend the same protection.</p>.<p>“The counsel for the petitioners pointed out that interim relief was already granted to one of the co-accused in a related case. As the allegations are similar, an interim order is granted for the petitioners as well until the next hearing,” the court stated.</p>.<p>The matter is currently pending before the XLVI Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge for PMLA cases in Bengaluru. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has issued an interim stay on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) money laundering proceedings against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) and its former head, Aakar Patel.</p>.<p>The case, which stems from a 2022 prosecution complaint, will remain on hold until further orders.</p>.<p>Justice Hemanth Chandangoudar recently granted temporary relief to both AIIPL and Patel, instructing the ED to refrain from advancing its probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).</p>.Karnataka HC quashes FIR against Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan .<p>The court also served notice to the ED, directing the agency to respond to the petitions filed by the two seeking to quash the case.</p>.<p>The ED had earlier filed a complaint in May 2022 against several individuals, including Patel, AIIPL, and former CEO G Ananthapadmanabhan, based on alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and linked money laundering activities.</p>.<p>The roots of the case go back to a 2019 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT), which accused the organisation of breaching FCRA norms.</p>.<p>The ED later took over, claiming that Amnesty India received funds from its UK counterpart through commercial means, allegedly to bypass FCRA restrictions.</p>.<p>Amnesty International India ceased operations in 2020 after its bank accounts were frozen by Indian authorities. At the time, the organisation described the action as part of a broader clampdown on civil society and maintained that the allegations were unfounded.</p>.<p>In granting the stay, the High Court observed that a similar interim order had been issued earlier in February to Ananthapadmanabhan by another bench, led by Justice SR Krishna Kumar.</p>.<p>Since the charges against Patel and AIIPL aligned with those in the previous case, the court found it appropriate to extend the same protection.</p>.<p>“The counsel for the petitioners pointed out that interim relief was already granted to one of the co-accused in a related case. As the allegations are similar, an interim order is granted for the petitioners as well until the next hearing,” the court stated.</p>.<p>The matter is currently pending before the XLVI Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge for PMLA cases in Bengaluru. </p>