Karnataka High Court Grants Bail to Ex-MUDA Commissioner in Money Laundering Case
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday granted bail to G.T. Dinesh Kumar, former commissioner of the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna ordered Kumar's release, noting changed circumstances since the court's earlier refusal of bail in January. The court observed that Kumar had been in judicial custody since his arrest in September 2025, and his prolonged pre-trial detention, combined with the filing of a chargesheet and no progress in trial, warranted bail.
In the January order denying bail, the court had allowed Kumar to apply again if trial did not begin within three months or if circumstances changed. The court found that significant changes had occurred: the chargesheet in the predicate offence was filed in March; the ED filed a supplementary prosecution complaint against three others in March 2026 without arresting them; and trial had not commenced.
The court noted that the case involves over 12,000 pages of documents and numerous witnesses, making an early conclusion unlikely. Kumar was directed to execute a personal bond of ₹5 lakh with two solvent sureties, appear before the trial court on all hearing dates, and refrain from tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.
