The numerous occasions the courts doubted the PMLA is misused by the ED

The Supreme Courtroom’s Thursday, 22 Might, rebuke to the Enforcement Directorate for “crossing all limits” solely provides to a protracted tally of vital observations by the courts on the “misuse” of the company’s powers.

A bench headed by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai yesterday made the vital comment whereas staying the money-laundering probe towards Tamil Nadu’s state-run liquor retailer TASMAC, in a case of unlawful grant of wine store licences.

“Your ED is crossing all limits,” the CJI mentioned on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu and the Tamil Nadu State Advertising Company (TASMAC) moved the highest court docket towards the ED’s raids on the state-run liquor retailer.

The CJI went on, “The Enforcement Directorate is violating the federal idea (of governance).”

On 11 April too, a unique bench headed by Justice A.S. Oka did not mince phrases because it chided the federal company, which sought the switch of the Nagrik Apurti Nigam (NAN) rip-off case from Chhattisgarh to New Delhi.

The ED also needs to consider the basic rights of the accused as properly, the bench mentioned.

Whereas listening to two bail pleas within the alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor rip-off in Chhattisgarh, Justice Oka’s bench noticed, “You (ED) are nearly penalising [the] particular person by holding him in custody.”

“Investigation will go at its personal pace. It is going to go on until eternity. Three cost sheets have been filed. You might be nearly penalising the particular person by holding him in custody. You’ve gotten made the method a punishment. This isn’t some case of [a] terrorist or [a] triple homicide,” it mentioned.

In February 2025 too, the highest court docket had pulled up the ED for suppressing very important info and utilizing the PMLA to maintain a former excise officer incarcerated. It requested if the supply was “being misused” just like the dowry regulation.