In Supreme Court, Realty Firm Flags Central Agency's "Drastic Powers"

Senior advocates Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi were representing M3M directors, Basant Bansal and Pankaj Bansal, arrested in a money laundering probe

The Supreme Court was told yesterday that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been given "drastic powers" in investigating money laundering cases and these powers need to be reined in.

A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh was hearing a batch of pleas relating to Gurugram-based realty group M3M under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing on behalf of directors of realty group M3M, said, "These are drastic powers given to the ED. If the court does not rein them in, no one is safe in this country. See how the arrest was done. They were cooperating. The arrest was in violation of my rights... These powers need to be reined in."

Mr Salve and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi were representing M3M directors, Basant Bansal and Pankaj Bansal, who were arrested in a money laundering probe related to a bribery case against a former judge.