The Court of Ms. Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan, Ld. Additional Sessions Judge-02, South-East District, Saket Courts, New Delhi, granted interim protection from arrest to Chairman and Managing Director of Raheja Developers Ltd. Navin M. Raheja and his son Nayan N. Raheja.

The applications were moved by the ED seeking issuance of open-ended NBWs against the two accused under Sections 72 and 75 of BNSS, read with Section 65 of PMLA, for an alleged offence under Section 3 of the PMLA, punishable under Section 4 of the Act. The ED's case was that the accused had failed to join the investigation and had not complied with summons issued to them under Section 50 of the PMLA.

Substantial arguments on the ED's application were heard on August 1, 2026. Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for the accused submitted that both accused had personally appeared before the ED on four occasions in 2025 and had complied with document-related directions issued to them. The ECIR was registered in 2022, and the NBW application was moved after nearly four years. The accused were willing to join and cooperate in the investigation and would appear before the Investigating Officer as and when required. 

The ED opposed these submissions, contending that the accused had failed to join the investigation on four occasions and had not complied with summons served in April 2026, and that no ground for relief was made out at this stage.

The Court observed that the primary object of any judicial process against an accused is to secure his presence, and that issuance of an NBW has larger ramifications affecting an accused's rights and should therefore be exercised sparingly and not in a mechanical manner. Noting that arguments on behalf of both parties remained to be concluded, and that both accused had expressed readiness and willingness to join and cooperate in the investigation, the Court granted them interim protection from arrest till the next date of hearing.

The accused were represented by Karanjawala & Co. Advocates, Sandeep Kapur, Senior Partner, Manmeet Kaur, Partner along with Irfan Muzamil, Rishabh Munjal, Kholi Rakuzhuro and Kunal Kochar who had briefed Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa.