HC upholds ED probe against 2 witnesses who turned accused
Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea filed by two witnesses-turned-accused in a money laundering case allegedly involving former CBI director AP Singh, meat exporter Moin Qureshi and others. It held that ED «rightly» proceeded under the PMLA against the duo.
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A division bench last week also dismissed pleas filed by Satish Babu Sana and Pradeep Koneru challenging their prosecution by ED and constitutional validity of Section 50 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) through which the agency is empowered to summon an individual for questioning.
Holding that the two are «involved in money laundering», HC held, «We find that proceedings under PMLA have been rightly initiated against them. The petitioners have challenged their summoning, which in our opinion is just and proper to unearth the roots of the money trail.»
The order reads: «Satish Babu Sana and Pradeep Koneru have, thus, prima facie committed offence of money laundering… by directly or indirectly indulging in, knowingly assisting, knowingly a party and actually involved in all or any process or activity connected with the proceeds of crime including its concealment, possession, acquisition or use and projecting or claiming it as untainted property.»
The duo was granted interim protection by HC in 2019 via which HC had stayed their summoning by the trial court. Dismissing their pleas,
