Overview
- A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi on Thursday allowed Fernandez to withdraw her special leave petition that challenged orders keeping PMLA charges against her.
- By withdrawing the Supreme Court plea, Fernandez stepped back from seeking to quash the framing order and the trial will continue after she pleaded not guilty on June 3.
- The Enforcement Directorate alleges Sukesh Chandrashekhar generated more than ₹200 crore through impersonation and extortion and used those proceeds to buy luxury gifts for third parties, which it says included items worth about ₹5.7–7 crore to Fernandez.
- Fernandez earlier applied to become an approver and then withdrew that application after the ED opposed it, and the Supreme Court hearing was relocated after Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra recused himself because his son appeared in a related matter.
- The case now returns to the Patiala House special court, where prosecutors will present evidence on proceeds of crime and defence will test that proof, and the next listed date for further trial proceedings is July 16.