Supreme Court to Address Critical Queries on Money Laundering Prosecutions

The Supreme Court will review the larger legal issue surrounding the Enforcement Directorate's prosecutions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The question is whether acquittal in a predicate offence nullifies money laundering charges. The court plans to examine past verdicts and may refer the matter to a larger bench.

The Supreme Court has agreed to probe into a significant legal challenge impacting the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) prosecutions across India. The primary question under scrutiny is whether an individual's acquittal in a criminal case invalidates the potential for prosecution under money laundering charges.

The ED has raised concerns that lenient approaches by state police on predicate offences, especially involving influential figures, are obstructing money laundering prosecutions. A predicate offence, vital for triggering ED investigations, is defined as one that produces illegal funds.

Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh have reserved doubts about previous verdicts, including Vijay Madanlal Choudhary's in 2022, which may need to be revisited. The Supreme Court intends to examine the contrasting interpretations of the law to ensure that the ED's role in combating economic crimes remains effective.

(With inputs from agencies.)