Can We Be So Rigid?” Supreme Court Grills Central Agency In Documents Case

New Delhi: 

The Supreme Court today asked tough questions to the Enforcement Directorate, questioning if the agency’s refusal to provide the accused with documents seized during a money laundering probe does not violate the fundamental right to life and personal liberty.

The bench of Justice AS Oka, Justice A Amanullah and Justice AG Masih was hearing an appeal related to the supply of documents in a money laundering case. The 2022 Sarla Gupta vs ED case pertains to the question on whether the investigating agency can deprive the accused of crucial documents it is relying on in a PMLA case in the pre-trial stage. 

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has come under the spotlight in several high-profile cases after top politicians, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren, AAP leader Manish Sisodia and BRS leader K Kavitha, were arrested under this law.