![[BREAKING] "Bail is Rule and Jail is Exception Even in PMLA Cases": Supreme Court While Granting Relief to Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's Aide](https://i0.wp.com/lawchakra.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/image-2024-08-28T115114.205.png?resize=447%2C367&ssl=1)
The Supreme Court today granted bail to Prem Prakash, an alleged associate of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in a money laundering case. The court emphasized that bail is the rule and jail is the exception, even in cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. It also ruled on the inadmissibility of confessions made by an accused under PMLA to an investigating officer. The bench expressed concerns over the Enforcement Directorate’s ongoing investigation and criticized the filing of multiple chargesheets without completing the trial.
Former Supreme Court Justice Madan B. Lokur stressed the need for the judiciary to prioritize bail over incarceration in India. He criticized the diminishing “bail, not jail” principle and highlighted a recent Supreme Court decision affirming the norm. The event also promoted open prisons as a successful model for inmate rehabilitation and reintegration.