No questioning beyond office hours: ED issues internal guidelines after Bombay High Court rap

Following a directive from the Bombay High Court, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued internal guidelines to ensure that statements of individuals summoned under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) are recorded during office hours. The court had criticized the ED for making a 64-year-old businessman wait overnight to record his statement, violating his “right to sleep” under Article 21 of the Constitution. The new guidelines require ED officers to be well-prepared with relevant documents and a questionnaire, and to begin examinations on time. The court emphasized that recording statements at “unearthly hours” impairs cognitive skills and violates basic human rights. The ED was directed to make the relevant paragraphs of the circular publicly accessible on its website and Twitter handle to ensure transparency and compliance with the court’s order.