The Kerala High Court has issued an interim order protecting the arrest of Shekhar Kumar, Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Kochi, who has been accused of demanding a ₹2 crore bribe from a businessman. Justice P. G. Ajithkumar passed the order, which will remain in force till June 11, 2025. The court was hearing Kumar’s anticipatory bail plea, which will now be considered on that date.
“No arrest will be made until the matter is heard,” the Public Prosecutor assured the court, following which the interim protection was granted.
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The case was filed by businessman Aneesh Babu, who alleged that Kumar demanded the bribe to relieve him from a money laundering investigation. The complaint was submitted at the Ernakulam Vigilance Station, naming Kumar as the first accused.
The case involves the Vazhavila Cashews trading business owned by Aneesh’s mother in Kottarakara. The Enforcement Directorate had previously summoned Aneesh and his parents in 2021. The investigation was launched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, based on police complaints alleging that their business collected large advance payments from local traders but failed to deliver cashew imports. The total alleged fraud was estimated at ₹24 crore.
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“The complainant has now alleged that he was told to pay ₹2 crore to avoid prosecution and that a demand for ₹2 lakh was made on May 15, 2025,” the FIR noted.
Following these claims, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) registered an FIR against Kumar. In response, he approached the High Court on May 24, seeking protection from arrest and claiming that the accusations are false.
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Kumar’s legal plea mentions that he has been wrongfully implicated in the case and has no association with the second accused, who allegedly acted as a middleman. He emphasized that he never communicated or had any financial dealings related to the bribe demand.
“The complainant is using the vigilance complaint to escape from the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation, as he has failed to cooperate and ignored several summons,” Kumar stated in his bail plea.
The charges listed against Kumar include Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which pertains to accepting illegal gratification, and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which covers criminal conspiracy.
The High Court has now fixed the next hearing on June 11, and till then, no coercive action shall be taken against Kumar.
Case Title: Shekhar Kumar v State of Kerala
Case Number: BA 6918 of 2025
