The Madras High Court has issued a notice to Vikas Kumar, an Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The notice was issued in response to a contempt petition filed by film producer Akash Bhaskaran. Bhaskaran alleges that the ED continued its money laundering investigation against him despite a stay order issued by the High Court. The Division Bench, comprising Justices M.S. Ramesh and V. Lakshminarayanan, has sought a response from the ED regarding the petition. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 17th.
Bhaskaran claimed that the Assistant Director issued a show cause notice even after the court had imposed a stay on the matter. This prompted him to approach the High Court. In May 2025, the ED conducted raids on the premises of Akash Bhaskaran and his associate, Vikram Ravindran, seizing several items. This action was related to an alleged ₹1,000 crore money laundering case connected to the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). The ED had also sealed their homes and offices.
Bhaskaran and Ravindran challenged the action in the Madras High Court, arguing that the sealing was not legally permissible under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). On June 20th, the High Court had stayed all further proceedings by the ED and ordered the immediate return of seized materials and the unsealing of the premises. The court stated that the agency’s actions were “completely outside its jurisdiction” due to a lack of evidence. In August 2025, the High Court also imposed a fine of ₹30,000 on the ED for failing to file timely counter-affidavits in three petitions filed by Bhaskaran. Following this, the court has now issued the notice to the ED’s Assistant Director.