"Blood boils:" Former ASG on misuse of ED, prolonged incarceration of PMLA accused

Former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Atmaram Nadkarni criticized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for prolonged incarceration of money laundering accused without trial. He highlighted that the ED’s investigations take too long, keeping accused individuals in jail unnecessarily. Nadkarni emphasized that the ED’s powers are subjective and often misused for extraneous purposes, which he finds deeply troubling. He noted that while the Supreme Court has started granting bail to such accused, High Courts are still lagging. Nadkarni stressed the need for a civilized jurisprudence that does not allow the misuse of laws like the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to detain individuals indefinitely. He called for a review of the PMLA judgment to prevent its misuse and ensure that the law is not used to infringe on personal liberties.