Delhi High Court grants bail to influencer Sandeepa Virk in money laundering case

Delhi High Court

• Delhi HC grants bail to Sandeepa Virk in Rs 6 crore money laundering case
• Virk spent 4+ months in custody; main accused Amit Gupta is on the run.
• Court found no case against Virk in police and magistrate investigations.

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The Delhi High Court on Monday granted regular bail to social media influencer Sandeepa Virk in a money laundering case in which she is accused of duping a woman of nearly Rs 6 crore on the pretext of offering her a role in a film.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who was hearing the bail application filed by Virk, noted that the case was initiated almost a decade after the alleged transactions, and her continued incarceration would be unjustified.

The court also noted that Virk is under judicial custody for more than four months and main accused Amit Gupta, declared a "proclaimed offender", is at large.

It directed Virk to furnish a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties of the like amount.

In an order dated December 29, the judge said, "This court is inclined to grant regular bail to the applicant on furnishing a personal bond in the sum of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties of the like amount".

According to the prosecution, out of Rs 6 crore received from the complainant, Rs 5.43 crore was transferred through banking channels, with Rs 1.03 crore linked to Virk.

The funds were allegedly used to buy a Mumbai flat, later transferred to Virk via a gift deed.

However, the court noted that main accused Gupta had returned Rs 2.7 crore to the complainant, reducing the alleged laundered amount to Rs 2.8 crore.

"When FIR was registered in the year 2016 in respect of allegations pertaining to the period 2008 to 2013, the applicant (Virk) was not chargesheeted by the police.

"Even thereafter, when the complainant filed a private complaint under Section 200 of CrPC(examination of complainant), the judicial magistrate while declining to take cognisance against the applicant, specifically recorded that no offence was made out against her even for the purpose of summoning," the court said.

It said the record reflected that Virk was not found culpable at the stage of police investigation, nor was any prima facie case found against her by the magistrate in the private complaint proceedings.

Virk was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in August this year.

She was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after searches were conducted against her and her associates in Delhi and Mumbai which lasted for two days.