The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 submitted before the Delhi High Court that it would not insist upon the appearance of PDP leader and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti with respect to a summons issued upon her in a case against her under S.50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Mufti has claimed in her petition that she received the summons on her personal email ID from the official email ID of the Assistant Director, Enforcement Directorate on Mar 5 under Sections 50(2) and 50(3) of the PMLA and that it refers to an annexure which has not been sent to her, and therefore she is not aware of its contents. Mufti had moved Court on Monday seeking quashing of summons issued to her by the ED.
She further objected to the fact that no prior information was provided regarding her summon as an accused or as a witness of what she is being summoned in connection with, and the scheduled offence under the PMLA which gave rise to the proceedings in respect of which such summons been issued to her. Additionally, she challenged the vires of Section 50, and incidental provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 for being "unfairly discriminatory, bereft of safeguards, and violative of Article 20(3) of the Constitution" and has cited various judgments laid down by the Supreme Court in different cases.
On the first hearing of the case, it witnessed Standing Counsel Amit Mahajan appearing on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate and stating that the Additional Solicitor General would be arguing the matter, and therefore he sought an adjournment.
