The Madras High Court has taken a critical step, issuing a notice to Vikas Kumar, Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This action is a result of a contempt petition filed by film producer Akash Bhaskaran, who alleges the ED proceeded with a money laundering investigation despite a court-imposed stay. The court’s Division Bench, consisting of Justices M.S. Ramesh and V. Lakshminarayanan, has demanded a response from the ED, scheduling the next hearing for September 17th.
Bhaskaran’s contention is that the Assistant Director ignored the court’s stay by issuing a show cause notice, prompting him to seek legal recourse. The ED’s original investigation involved raids in May 2025 on Bhaskaran and his associate, Vikram Ravindran, which resulted in seizures. The case centered around an alleged ₹1,000 crore money laundering scheme linked to the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). The ED had also sealed the individuals’ homes and offices.
Bhaskaran and Ravindran contested the ED’s actions in the Madras High Court, claiming the sealing was unlawful under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). On June 20th, the High Court halted the ED’s operations, ordering the return of seized materials and the unsealing of properties. The court determined the agency’s actions were “completely outside its jurisdiction” due to insufficient evidence. Earlier, in August 2025, the High Court fined the ED ₹30,000 for delayed filing of counter-affidavits. The current notice signifies further judicial scrutiny of the ED’s conduct.