ED can summon anyone for ‘any information’: SC
- The Supreme Court endorsed the sweeping powers of the Enforcement Directorate (ED)
- It said the Central agency could call “anybody for any information” even as it castigated four Tamil Nadu District Collectors for failing to appear in person in response to a summons issued to them by the anti-money laundering body.
50(2) of the PMLA
- It empowered the ED to summon “any person” whose attendance was considered necessary for giving evidence or production of records in the course of “any investigation or proceeding” under the statute.
Section 50(3)
- It mandated that the individual summoned was “bound to attend in person or through authorised agents” and would be required to make truthful statements and produce required documents.
Directorate of Enforcement (ED)
- The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated with investigation of offences of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws.
- It functions under the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.
- The origin of this Directorate goes back to 1st May, 1956, when an ‘Enforcement Unit’ was formed in the Department of Economic Affairs for handling Exchange Control Laws violations under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), 1947.
- It was headquartered in Delhi, headed by a Legal Service Officer as the Director of Enforcement.
- It had two branches - at Bombay and Calcutta.
Prelims Takeaway
- Directorate of Enforcement
- FERA