The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised the indiscriminate use of the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) even for cases involving “₹10,000 and ₹100 cases”.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana said the Act would get diluted and lose its relevance if not used sparingly.
“You are diluting the Act... If you start using it as a weapon against 10000 rupees case and 100 rupees case, what will happen? You cannot put all people behind bars. You have to use it sparingly,” the court addressed Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, for the Government.
The Bench said “this is not the way it (PMLA) works... It is not for every case”.
The court was hearing an appeal by steel company Usha Martin Limited against a Jharkhand High Court order relating to export of Iron Ore Fines.
