Submit issues with 2022 PMLA verdict by July 16, SC tells petitioners
Supreme Court directs petitioners to submit reconsideration issues on PMLA by July 16, focusing on ECIR access and burden of proof in upcoming hearings.
Petitioners seeking review of the 2022 judgment upholding the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and Enforcement Directorate’s powers to arrest and attach property of the accused were directed by the Supreme Court to submit the issues on which they seek reconsideration by July 16 in consultation with the Centre.
A recently constituted bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh was hearing a batch of petitions questioning various provisions of the PMLA.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the Centre, said the hearing on the review petitions cannot go beyond the two specific issues – depriving an accused person a copy of the enforcement case information report (ECIR) and shifting of the burden of proof of innocence onto shoulders of the accused instead of the prosecution – flagged by the bench which issued notice on the petitions in August 2022.
He added that the Centre had filed an affidavit the very next day confirming this arrangement and the petitioners had not objected to it.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, said the matter required to be referred to a larger bench.
The court posted the matter on August 6 and said the hearing would continue on August 7 if required.
