Enamul Haque gets bail in ED's cattle smuggling case

Enamul Haque, accused in the infamous cattle smuggling case, has been granted bail by the Supreme Court, ending his long legal battle. Arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in February 2022, Haque had already spent over two years in custody. His earlier bail in a CBI case did not free him, as he was immediately re-arrested by the ED. Haque had been under investigation for facilitating illegal cattle smuggling across the India-Bangladesh border.

During the hearings, Haque's lawyers argued that he had spent over 3.5 years in custody, with no formal charges framed against him. Despite this, the ED accused Haque of running a smuggling operation, paying bribes to security personnel at the border to carry out his illegal trade. The trial court took cognizance of the charges filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stating that there was sufficient material to proceed against him.

Earlier, Haque was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the CBI case in January. Despite this, he remained in jail due to the ED's ongoing investigation. His defense team insisted that the charges against him were false and based purely on hearsay. They also maintained that Haque was a legitimate businessman paying his taxes, framed unfairly in the case.

Now, after over two and a half years of pre-trial incarceration, Haque has secured bail in the ED case as well. The Delhi High Court reserved its order after concluding arguments on March 27, 2024. Haque’s legal battle may not be over yet, but his release marks a significant development in the case.