SC Defers Hearing on Pleas Seeking Reconsideration of ED Powers Under PMLA

The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred the hearing on whether its 2022 verdict upholding the Enforcement Directorate’s powers to arrest and attach property under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) requires reconsideration.

As the hearing commenced, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), informed bench of Justice Surya Kant along with Justices CT Ravikumar and Ujjal Bhuyan that the review had been listed unexpectedly and requested additional time.

“This has come up suddenly. We need some time to prepare. We learned that the matter has been listed for hearing late last night. Please schedule this for a later date,” Mehta requested the bench.

Appearing for the petitioners, Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the 2022 judgment was incorrect and needed reconsideration.

The top court agreed to adjourn the matter and scheduled it for August 28.

The three-judge bench was addressing a batch of pleas seeking reconsideration of the July 27, 2022, verdict of a three-judge bench concerning certain parameters. In its 2022 decision, the Supreme Court had upheld the ED’s powers of arrest, attachment of property involved in money laundering, and search and seizure under the PMLA.