SC reconstitutes three-judge bench to listen to pleas in opposition to 2022 verdict upholding ED powers

The Supreme Court docket has reconstituted a three-judge bench to resolve if its 2022 verdict upholding the Enforcement Directorate’s powers to arrest and fasten property beneath the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act wants reconsideration.

The reconstituted bench of Justice Surya Kant, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Kotiswar Singh will take up a batch of petitions searching for a overview of the 2022 verdict.

The matter is listed for listening to on 7 Might.

Earlier, a bench of Justice Kant, Justice Bhuyan and Justice CT Ravikumar was listening to the matter.

Justice Ravikumar superannuated on 5 January.

On 6 March, after the pleas had been listed earlier than a two-judge bench, Justice Kant advised the attorneys showing within the matter that it was wrongly listed and guaranteed them {that a} new three-judge bench would shortly take up the difficulty.

The highest courtroom in July 2022 upheld the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) powers of arrest and attachment of property concerned in cash laundering, search and seizure beneath the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA).

In August of that yr, the highest courtroom agreed to listen to pleas searching for a overview of its verdict and noticed that two elements — not offering an Enforcement Case Data Report (ECIR) and reversal of the presumption of innocence — “prima facie” required reconsideration.