HC asks ex TV-9 CEO to reply on ED plea against bail

Hyderabad: Justice Kanneganti Lalitha of Telangana High Court on Thursday  issued notices to V. Ravi Prakash, former CEO of TV-9 group of channels, to respond to a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate seeking the court to cancel the anticipatory bail granted to him with relation to a case filed under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED complained to the court that when anticipatory bail was granted, the court had directed Ravi Prakash to cooperate with the investigation.

However, Prakash refuses to cooperate, ED’s  counsel  Puli Devender submitted to the court. He further said Prakash was deliberately not cooperating and sought that the anticipatory bail be cancelled as Prakash violated the conditions of his anticipatory bail, the counsel submitted.

Considering the ED’s request, Justice Lalitha sought contentions of Prakash, who stated the ED had not handed over the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) to him, which is registered against him under the provisions of PMLA. Without knowing the charges and allegations against him, how one can appear before the investigation agency, he asked.

Further, he said by concealing the fact that the writ petition filed by him, in which he requested the court to direct the  ED to handover the  ECIR copies, the ED has now filed a petition for cancellation of the bail, Ravi Prakash explained.