The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to stay the summons issued to former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
A bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh declined any relief to the 61-year-old saying, “We are not giving any stay. We are not granting any relief.” The court has posted the hearing on her petition for April 16.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, said Ms. Mufti just has to appear before the officials. The ED has now summoned Ms. Mufti for March 22.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief, in her plea, has contended that ever since she was released from preventive detention following the formal abrogation of Article 370, she has been facing a series of “hostile acts by the State”.
She has alleged that the ED is conducting a “roving inquiry about her personal, political and financial affairs”. She also pointed out her acquaintances and old family friends, have also been summoned by the agency.
Ms Mufti said she has not been informed if she is being summoned as an accused or as a witness, nor she has been informed of what she is being summoned in connection with, and the scheduled offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) which gave rise to the present proceedings.
“The Petitioner is not the subject of investigation, nor is she an accused, in any of the scheduled offences to the best of her knowledge,” the plea said.
She has also challenged Section 50 of the PMLA Act, which gives powers to authorities regarding summons, production of documents and to give evidence.
On its last hearing, the ED had said it will not insist for personal appearance of Ms. Mufti before it at the ED headquarters in the national capital, till the court hears her petition against the summons.
