Kerala High Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To ED Officer Accused In ₹2 Crore Bribery Case

The Kerala High Court has allowed the anticipatory bail plea of a senior official of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), who was arrayed as an accused in a bribery case registered by the Vigilance.

Justice A. Badharudeen allowed the bail application which was earlier reserved for orders.

The Court noted that a serious allegation has been made against the petitioner. However, it was of the opinion that investigation was possible without custodial interrogation.

Background

Shekhar Kumar, the ED official who has been arrayed as the 1st accused in the bribery case registered by the Vigilance, had approached the High Court seeking anticipatory bail. As per the allegation, the official has asked the complainant Rs. 2 Crore bribe through a third-party to get him out of his case. Shekhar Kumar has mentioned in the bail application that the complainant made false allegations against him to wiggle out of the case.

Aneesh Babu, who had filed the complaint against the ED official, has since received a notice from the ED official to appear before it with all the documents relating to the vigilance case. The bail petition filed by Aneesh Babu was closed earlier when the ED informed the Court that it was not intending to arrest him.

Case Title: Shekhar Kumar v. State of Kerala

Case No: BA No. 6918 of 2025

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 403

Counsel for the petitioner: P. Vijaya Bhanu (Sr.), K. Aravind Menon, P.M. Rafiq, M. Revikrishnan, Ajeesh K. Sasi, Sruthy N. Bhat, Rahul Sunil, Sruthy K.K, Nanditha S., Sohail Ahammed Harris P.P., Aaron Zacharias Benny

Counsel for the respondent: Sajju.S. - Senior G.P., DGP Shaji T.A for VACB, Spl PP To DGP P.Narayanan for VACB, Sr. PP Saiju.S; K.P. Prasanth – for R2

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