Ahmedabad, August 13, 2024 — Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Saket Gokhale has been formally charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by a special court in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. The court, which also serves as the designated PMLA court, framed criminal charges against Gokhale on Tuesday, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings against him.
Charges and Court Proceedings
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) confirmed the development via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The Hon’ble Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ahmedabad (Rural) and Designated Special Court (PMLA), Ahmedabad, today i.e., 13.08.2024, framed the Criminal Charges against Saket Gokhale, M.P., Rajya Sabha, and National Spokesperson of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) under the provisions of PMLA, 2002, in the Prosecution Complaint filed by ED. Charges against him for the scheduled offense in the police case had also been framed.”
In addition to framing charges, the special court rejected Gokhale’s application under Section 309 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which sought to suspend the PMLA proceedings until the resolution of the scheduled offense case against him. The court’s decision means that the money laundering case will proceed independently of the related police case.
Background: Crowdfunding Misuse Allegations
Saket Gokhale was arrested by state police in Delhi in December 2022, following allegations of misusing funds collected through crowdfunding. According to the ED, Gokhale allegedly diverted significant amounts of the crowdfunded money for personal expenses, including speculative share trading, dining, and other expenditures deemed extravagant. Despite these allegations, Gokhale has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
In May 2023, Gokhale was granted regular bail by a special court in connection with the money laundering case. However, the legal challenges against him have continued to mount.
Defamation Case and Recent Legal Setbacks
In a separate legal matter, the Delhi High Court ordered Saket Gokhale in July 2024 to pay ₹50 lakhs in damages to Lakshmi Puri, the wife of Union Minister Hardeep Puri, for defamation. The case stemmed from a series of tweets and public statements made by Gokhale that Puri claimed were false and damaging to her reputation.
Lakshmi Puri’s defamation suit against Gokhale alleged that his statements, which concerned her financial dealings and public conduct, were baseless and caused significant harm to her reputation. The court’s ruling in favor of Puri added another layer of legal trouble for the TMC MP.
