Delhi Excise Policy Scam: Accused alleges 3rd degree torture, High Court seeks ED stand on arrest

PTI

New Delhi, October 21

The Delhi High Court has sought the ED’s stand on a petition by Hyderabad businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai challenging his arrest and remand in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam wherein he has claimed “third degree” methods were applied to obtain information.

“Third degree” refers to brutality by police officers interrogating an accused.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on Friday asked the probe agency to file a response with respect to the maintainability of the plea.

Advocate Nitesh Rana, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the March 6 arrest order of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the subsequent remand orders passed by the trial court sending him to the agency’s custody and then to judicial custody were in violation of the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In his plea, the petitioner submitted that no grounds for arrest, either oral or written, were ever provided to him, as required under Section 19(1) of the PMLA, and that this also violates his constitutional rights.

It is further contended that the remand orders did not record any satisfaction of whether the ED had materials on record to form “reasons to believe” that the petitioner is guilty of an offence under the PMLA.

“The Directorate of Enforcement, in a vindictive manner and solely as a witch-hunting exercise, has employed coercive tactics to obtain information and used third degree measures on the petitioner/applicant herein as well as the other accused,” the petition said.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.