Kochi A senior officer of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail after being named as first accused in a corruption case registered by the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). Shekhar Kumar (37) is currently serving as Assistant Director at the ED’s Kochi office.
In his bail application, Mr. Kumar claimed that he has been falsely implicated in the case.
The charges against him fall under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which relates to taking undue advantage to influence a public servant through corrupt or illegal means or personal influence. He also faces a charge under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which deals with criminal conspiracy.
The case stems from a complaint by a man linked to ‘Vazhavila Cashews,’ a cashew trading business in Kottarakara owned by his mother. The Enforcement Directorate had previously summoned the complainant and his parents in 2021 over allegations that they took large advance payments from local cashew traders but failed to deliver cashew imports as promised.
The ED began investigating under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, following several police cases registered in different stations, with claims of fraud amounting to ₹24 crore. The complainant has now alleged that a second accused person told him to pay ₹2 crore to Mr. Kumar to avoid prosecution. He also claimed he was asked to pay ₹2 lakh on May 15, 2025. The FIR was filed based on these allegations.
However, in his plea, Mr. Kumar argued that he is innocent and has no connection with the second accused.
Published – May 24, 2025 12:13 am IST
