The Delhi High Court permitted the withdrawal of a petition brought by former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti challenging the legality of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on Wednesday (PMLA).
The Delhi High Court permitted the withdrawal of a petition brought by former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. On Wednesday, the Bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad permitted the withdrawal of the plea after noting Mufti’s lawyer’s declaration that the client wants to drop the current appeal. Mufti filed the petition in March 2021.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had refused to grant a stay on ED notice against Mehbooba Mufti. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had appeared for ED and the Union of India had submitted that Mehbooba Mufti has to appear before the agency. Along with the notice issued to her, Mufti had also challenged constitutional vires of Section 50, and any incidental provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (“PMLA”).
Mehbooba Mufti after receiving the notice had earlier tweeted, “GOIs tactics to intimidate & browbeat political opponents to make them toe their line has become tediously predictable. They don’t want us to raise questions about its punitive actions and policies. Such short-sighted scheming won’t work”.
Section 50 of the PMLA gives the ‘authority,’ i.e., officers of the Enforcement Directorate, the authority to summon anyone to testify or produce records. All persons summoned are required to answer questions and produce documents as directed by ED officers, failing which they may face penalties under the PMLA.
Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and President of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party, is the petitioner.
