The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Delhi High Court seeking removal of adverse observations made by a trial court while discharging Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and others in the Excise Policy case. The agency argues the remarks were unwarranted and recorded without giving it a chance to be heard, violating principles of natural justice.
The Delhi High Court has listed April 20 to hear the ED’s plea challenging a trial court order that refused to take cognisance of its chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case. The ED argues the trial court ruling was legally flawed and could affect other money laundering prosecutions under the PMLA.
A Delhi Court, while discharging Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and others in the excise policy case, criticised the ED for making arrests before the predicate offence is judicially tested. The Court warned that mechanical use of PMLA powers risks violating Article 21 and turning investigation into punishment.
The Enforcement Directorate has submitted prosecution sanction against former Finance Minister P Chidambaram before the Rouse Avenue Special Court in the INX Media money laundering case. The move follows the Supreme Court’s ruling making sanction mandatory for prosecuting public servants under PMLA.
