{
  "id": 9171337,
  "title": "Bombay HC Sets Aside Rajendra Lodha’s PMLA Remand, Grants Bail; Calls ED Arrest ‘Colourable Exercise Of Power’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/bombay-hc-sets-aside-rajendra-lodhas-pmla-remand-grants-bail-calls-ed",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T17:12:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/bombay-hc-sets-aside-rajendra-lodhas-pmla-remand-grants-bail-calls-ed-arrest-colourable-exercise-of-power"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai, September 22, 2026: The Bombay High Court has dismissed the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) remand of Rajendra Lodha under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), ruling that the agency’s arrest was a \"colourable exercise of power.\" Justice Milind Jadhav released Lodha on bail on a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh with sureties, barring him from surrendering his passport and requiring his cooperation with the ongoing trial. The legal dispute arose from two First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against Lodha in September 2025, leading the ED to launch a parallel money laundering investigation. On January 29, 2026, the ED sought permission from a Special Court to interrogate Lodha in judicial custody under Section 50 of the PMLA, which was granted on January 30, stipulating that the agency should record his statement between February 2 and February 6. However, on February 12, the ED abruptly arrested Lodha without interrogating him, citing the same material that earlier supported his remand. Lodha's legal team argued that the arrest lacked any new evidence or supervening circumstances to justify his detention, while the ED contended that its arrest power under Section 19 of the PMLA operates independently of pending Section 50 interrogation orders. The High Court rejected the ED's argument, emphasizing that bypassing a court-authorized interrogation process without fresh evidence undermines statutory procedures. Justice Jadhav also condemned the ED for failing to inform the Special Court about its earlier application, calling the arrest a \"drastic power\" that infringes on the arrested individual's personal liberty.",
  "summary": "Mumbai, September 22, 2026: The Bombay High Court has delivered a stern rebuke to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), ruling that the agency cannot bypass existing judicial orders to carry out arbitrary arrests. Terming the ED’s actions a \"colourable exercise of power,\" Justice Milind Jadhav set aside the remand orders passed against former director of Lodha Developers, Rajendra Narpatmal Lodha,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}