Chennai, July 29 -- The Madras High Court in an order dated April 2, 2024, had quashed proceedings and summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Ocean Lifespaces India Private Limited and its Managing Director, Sylvanus King Peter. The court ruled that the money laundering probe cannot proceed once the underlying "predicate offence" has been quashed by a court of law.

The division bench, comprising Justice M.S. Ramesh and Justice Sunder Mohan, issued the order in response to a writ petition filed by the construction firm and its MD. The petitioners had approached the court seeking to quash a summon dated February 2, 2024, issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In its judgment, the bench emphasized t...