PMLA
Summons Under PMLA Can't Be Quashed Merely Because Accused Was Discharged In Predicate Offence : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court yesterday (December 19) set aside an order of the Gauhati High Court which quashed summons under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, (PMLA) to investigate proceeds of crime involved money laundering on grounds that the Respondent was discharged in scheduled offence (offences related to property in this case). A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Aravind Kumar was hearing a challenge to the judgment of the Gauhati High Court dated January 3, whereby the summons...
Offence Under PMLA Is Standalone, Can't Have Joint Trial With Predicate Offence Even If Both Are Before Same Court: Madras HC
The Madras High Court has clarified that the trial under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is distinct and different from the trial of the predicate offence and thus the accused cannot seek for a simultaneous or joint trial even if both are pending before the same court. A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice M Jothiraman noted that since the procedures contemplated under the PMLA for trial are different, there was no question of joint or simultaneous trial....
PMLA Case | Allahabad HC Denies Bail To Man Accused Of Duping People By Impersonating Person Close To PM Modi
The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday denied bail to one Mohammad Kashif, booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, on the allegations that he duped people financially by flaunting on social media morphed images with ministers, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Denying him the relief, a bench of Justice Samit Gopal noted that the alleged recovery of huge amount of money and other related documents and articles corroborate his deeds and that there is nothing credible to...
PMLA Does Not Intend To Attach Or Confiscate All Properties Of A Person Connected With Crime: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court has observed that the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA) does not intend to attach or confiscate all properties of a person connected with crime, especially those properties that were acquired before even the commission of the crime.A senior citizen and his wife have approached the Court seeking to quash an order of provisional attachment issued under the PMLA. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas thus set aside the order of provisional attachment of properties purchased...
Reining in Excess: Punjab & Haryana High Court's Judgments Curtailing ED's Arbitrary Powers
The arrest and detention under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act often turn out to be a punishment due to the wide powers given to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and its stringent bail provisions. The Supreme Court, in August, pointed out that after the amendment, over the past ten years, around 5,000 cases have been registered under the PMLA, but conviction has been obtained in only 40 cases.In the evolving jurisprudence of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Punjab and...
ED Can Instruct Prosecutors On Facts, But Cannot Instruct How Prosecutors Should Act In Court: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Wednesday (December 11) held that while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and its director can give instructions related to facts of a case to prosecutors, they cannot dictate the prosecutors' actions in court.“We may also note here that the Enforcement Directorate and its Director can give instructions to public prosecutors on facts of the case. However, the Enforcement Directorate or its Director cannot give any instructions to the public prosecutor about what he ought to...
[PMLA] Liberty Is Intrinsic To Rule Of Law, Court Cannot Be Restrained From Granting Bail On Account Of Restrictive Statute: Calcutta HC
The Calcutta High Court has granted bail to a man being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate under the PMLA for allegedly running a fake call centre and promising services to victims in exchange for money, which were never delivered. The alleged victims were from countries such as the US, UK, Germany, Australia, etc.Justice Suvra Ghosh held: The charge sheet of the scheduled offence does not name the victims who are undoubtedly the best persons to substantiate the allegations against the...
Supreme Court Flags “Disturbing Features” In ED's Arrest Of Ex-IAS Officer In Chhattisgarh Liquor Scam
The Supreme Court on Friday (December 6) highlighted “disturbing features” of the arrest of former IAS officer Anil Tuteja by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case connection with the Chhattisgarh liquor scam andA bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih noted that Tuteja was taken by ED from the ACB office, interrogated throughput the night and then shown as arrested only at 4 am in the morning.“We must record a very disturbing feature of...
Supreme Court Judgment In 'Arvind Kejriwal' Requiring ED To Supply 'Reasons To Believe' To Arrestee Cannot Apply Retrospectively: Delhi HC
The Delhi High Court has held that the condition of supplying the “reasons to believe” by ED to a person arrested under PMLA as a separate document as per Supreme Court's ruling in Arvind Kejriwal case ought to be applied prospectively. Justice Anish Dayal said that the ED could not be expected to comply with the additional condition, if the arrest was made in the pre-Arvind Kejriwal judgment period. On July 12, the Supreme Court, while granting bail to Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, had...
Will Ask PMLA Accused Seeking Bail On Ground Of Delay In Trial To File Undertaking Against Seeking Adjournments: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Wednesday (November 27) expressed that it will require persons accused of money laundering to file undertaking that they will not seek adjournments and delay trial before granting bail on the ground that trial is delayed.“So this is the course we want to adopt now if we are granting bail on the ground that the matter is not progressing. Interests will be balanced. Unless we find that something is really there on merits. That is a different case, we will grant bail on...
Congress Leader P Chidambaram Moves Delhi High Court Against Trial Court Taking Cognizance Of ED Chargesheet In INX Media Case
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has moved the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court order which took cognizance of the chargesheet filed against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case connected to the INX Media case.Senior Advocate N Hariharan appearing for Chidambaram submitted before Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri on Thursday that mandatory sanction to prosecute the Congress leader was not obtained by the prosecuting agency in the case. Apart from the...