All accused acquitted in ED’s debut match clean bowled case

A court in Mumbai has released all eight suspects in the first prevention of money laundering case in Mumbai. OPM International’s former managing director and others were released due to lack of evidence in the 2008 case. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) states that only when a previous First Information Report of a scheduled offence exists can the ED start an investigation. OPM International was charged under the PMLA based on a case brought by the Narcotics Control Bureau in 2008. The suspects were discharged from the drug case, and the PMLA case was dismissed. A PMLA case cannot continue if the defendant is discharged from the predicate offence as per a Supreme Court ruling.