Srinagar, May 26 -- "The two proceedings, while factually linked by the scheduled offence, are legally independent and governed separately," a bench of Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal said while hearing a petition filed by N Kansal, a resident of New Delhi, seeking quashing of ECIR under PMLA, summons issued under Section 50 PMLA,and related search/seizure actions.

"The petitioner's discharge in the predicate offence indicates a determination concerning the merits of that particular accusation; nonetheless, it does not nullify the overarching legal structure governing the issuance of the summons," the court said, adding, "The discharge should not be regarded as a legal obstacle to the authorities' capacity to forward with the summons."

The 2...