The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted safety to media baron Raghav Behl from any coercive motion by the Enforcement Directorate in a cash laundering case registered towards him.
The Delhi High Court, which on December 3 issued discover to the ED on Bahl’s plea looking for quashing of the case, nonetheless, refused to go any order of interim safety to him.
“Notice issued. In the meantime, no coercive action will be taken,” a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana ordered on Wednesday after being attentive to the arguments of senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing Bahl’s case. Gave.
The high court docket additionally ordered to tag Behl’s recent attraction with the pending attraction on the difficulty. The senior counsel argued, “An SLP (Special Leave Petition) has been filed as the High Court has not provided me protection.”
On December 3, the excessive court docket had given the ED three weeks to file its reply on the plea, which, moreover looking for quashing of the cash laundering case, additionally challenged the discover issued to Bahl by the investigating officer. . “Will your lordship consider passing the same order without any coercive steps given by the Supreme Court (in the case relating to the original offence)?” Bahl’s lawyer argued.
“I do not consider it, sir,” the HC decide had replied and listed for additional listening to on January 27.
The ED’s case towards the petitioner arose out of a grievance by the Income Tax (IT) division and pertains to alleged laundering of cash to buy an undisclosed property in London.
The Income Tax Department had initiated proceedings towards the petitioner underneath the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act 2015 for alleged irregularities within the returns filed for the evaluation 12 months (AY) 2018-2019.
Bahl’s counsel had submitted that after the re-filing, the Income Tax Return for AY 2018-19 has now been cleared by the Assessing Officers, and therefore, the cash laundering proceedings can’t be allowed to proceed .
“Based on the black money complaint, ED proceedings started. Now there is no violation, no proceeds of crime. The IT (authority) has accepted the income tax returns of 2018-2019 in 2021,” he had informed the excessive court docket.
Bahl’s counsel had mentioned that whereas the problem to the black cash proceedings was pending earlier than the Supreme Court, which had earlier given him safety from punitive motion, in that case, the ED is issuing notices to him in reference to the cash laundering case.
The petition claimed that since Bhal “has done no wrong”, by persevering with the method of investigation underneath the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 “without ground of fact or any existence of law on his life”. dangerous results”, enterprise, and status.
“The respondent has ignored this, and has issued further summons on 16.11.2021, now against all the members of the family i.e. the petitioner as well as the petitioner’s son, daughter and wife, to appear within the next 24 hours “It was mentioned.
The ED had mentioned that the difficulty of cash laundering proceedings just isn’t earlier than the apex court docket and argued that the probe by the company can’t be stopped on the presumption that the Supreme Court will pronounce judgment in favor of the petitioner.
ED’s counsel had mentioned that he would file a reply on behalf of the company and the petitioner was being referred to as just for investigation.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
