Will examine whether 2022 PMLA verdict requires reconsideration, says Supreme Court
Enforcement Directorate's (ED) powers to arrest and attach property involved in money laundering under PMLA required any reconsideration. A special bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said the remit was «limited» as a three-judge bench had already addressed some issues related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
«The issue now is whether anything requires reconsideration,» said the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi.
The bench noted the objection raised by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, that an «academic exercise should not be carried out without there being substance and merely because someone approaches the court and wants the issue decided by a three-judge bench to be revisited. It should not be an occasion to revisit».
The top court was hearing a batch of pleas seeking reconsideration of the July 27, 2022 verdict by a three-judge bench on certain parameters.
In its last year's verdict, the top court had upheld the ED's powers of arrest, attachment of property involved in money laundering, search and seizure under the PMLA.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Mehta deprecated reconsideration of the 2022 verdict. «I am on the misuse and abuse of process of law,» he said.
The bench told him that after hearing the parties, if it feels there was no need for reconsideration on any aspect, it may not revisit the verdict.
The bench spoke about how matters are referred to larger benches for reconsideration.
«If three judges feel some aspect requires reconsideration, we may refer it,» it said.
