Bombay High Court dismisses ED's 2013 FIR in Goa mining money-laundering case
The Bombay High Court quashed the Enforcement Directorate’s 2013 FIR alleging money laundering by a consortium of seven mining firms led by Salgaocar Mining Company, after finding the underlying police FIR had already been nullified.
On Monday, the Bombay High Court in Goa set aside the Enforcement Directorate’s 2013 Enforcement Case one outlet's Report that accused seven mining companies, headed by Salgaocar Mining Company, of money laundering tied to illegal mining. Justice Amit Jamsandekar explained that the Prevention of Money Laundering Act requires an existing predicate offence; since the original Goa police Crime Branch FIR was quashed after more than a decade of inactivity, the ECIR lacks legal foundation.
The court also noted that no Special Investigation Team investigation occurred after the FIR’s registration. The petition, submitted by Salgaocar Mining Company and six other firms, aimed to clear the money-laundering charges. Earlier, the Shah Commission report had prompted the 2013 FIR, leading to multiple investigations and charges against dozens of individuals, many of which remained unresolved. The ruling highlights the necessity of an active underlying offence for money-laundering prosecutions.
Why it matters
It clarifies that money-laundering prosecutions cannot proceed without a live underlying crime, affecting mining firms and legal precedent.
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