đIn a strong message to the Enforcement Directorate, the Bombay High Court has warned the central agency against harassing citizens and taking the law into its own hands.
Justice Milind Jadhav observed that a "strong message" needed to be sent to law enforcement agencies to make sure that citizens are not harassed.
đIn a strong message to the Enforcement Directorate, the Bombay High Court has warned the central agency against harassing citizens and taking the law into its own hands.
đImposing a cost of Rs 1 Lakh on ED for launching a money laundering probe with "proper application of mind", the High Court reminded the central agency to work within the framework of law.
âThe fine was issued by a single-judge bench of Justice Milind Jadhav who observed that a "strong message" needed to be sent to law enforcement agencies to make sure that citizens are not harassed.
The ED launched a money laundering probe against realty developer Rakesh Jain. Taking notice of the case, the High Court đťquashed the summons issued to Jain by a special court in August 2014 based on the complaint filed by the anti-money laundering agency.
đ"It is high time that central agencies like the ED stopped taking the law in the own hands and harass citizens", said Justice Jadhav.
đ°The Bombay HC judge noted that there was no case against Jain and the charges of money laundering do not stand.
đŻ"I am compelled to levy exemplary costs because a strong message needs to be sent to the law enforcement agencies like ED that they should conduct themselves within the parameters of the law and that they cannot take the law into their own hands without application of mind and harass citizens," Justice Jadhav added.
đFurthermore, the court directed ED to pay Rs 1 lakh fine to the High Court Library within the next four weeks. A one lakh fine was also imposed on the complainant in the case.
đĽ"It is seen that money laundering conspiracy is hatched in secrecy and executed in darkness. The present case before me is a classic case of oppression in the garb of implementation of the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act),' noted the judgement of the court.
ꌥED is now working to file an appeal with the Supreme Court, for which the High Court has stayed the judgement for one week.
(With PTI inputs)