SC refuses to release businessman Shankarlal Agrawal

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has refused to release businessman Shankarlal Agrawal, who is in custody pending trial in a money laundering case.

A single bench of Supreme Court Justice Mahesh Sharma Poudel on Wednesday refused to register a writ of habeas corpus filed by Agrawal. The bench also upheld the Supreme Court administration’s decision not to register the petition.

Earlier, a bench of the Special Court comprising judges Basudev Acharya, Hemanta Rawal and Bidur Koirala had ordered Agrawal to be remanded in custody.

The Patan High Court had previously ordered Agrawal to be kept in custody in a banking offence case. However, the Supreme Court later ordered his release on bail.

Agrawal was subsequently ordered to be remanded in custody after he appeared before the Special Court in connection with a money laundering case. He then approached the Supreme Court with a writ of habeas corpus challenging the detention order.

Businessman Deepak Bhatta is also facing cases related to banking offences, securities, insurance and money laundering. His son, Sulabh Agrawal, is likewise in jail in connection with a money laundering case.