After the Supreme Court upheld the validity of various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Supreme court advocate Nalin Kohli on Wednesday said that the SC's judgement on PMLA should not be politicized.
"The Supreme Court's judgement should not be politicized. This debate should be stopped. The matter was in regards to the legality of the act and law. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act has been made for a very clear reason that there is no person above the law, whether there is black money or property generated by black money, it should be acted upon," said Kohli.
He also further cited recent examples and said, "We have seen recently that many politicians or their associates got Rs. 20 crores, got Rs. 10 crores. In any case, the person in question needs to explain and declare the cash, assets and property."
Kohli also stressed that in the past there were questions surrounding sections 3, 5 to 24 and about the burden of proof in money laundering cases.
Earlier, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress were engaged in a war of words over the judgment.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called the apex court's judgment on PMLA "disappointing".
"Supreme Court judgement on PMLA and rights of Enforcement Directorate (ED) is disappointing and worrying. The atmosphere of dictatorship that is prevalent in the country in the past few years, after this judgment the chances of an increase in political usage of ED by the central government will increase," Gehlot told ANI.
BJP chief JP Nadda said Congress is protesting against PMLA in an attempt to "protect a family".
"Congress protests are not 'Satyagrah', but an attempt to hide the truth. They are protesting to protect a family, not the country. Gandhis are required to answer the investigation agencies, but they think they are above the law," Nadda told ANI.
"Supreme Court has upheld the PMLA and jurisdiction of ED. The law is taking its course and the Congress party's attempt to keep one family above the law will not work. We must respect the law of the land," he added.
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Opposition does not have any issue and is creating a ruckus over the matter.
"When Supreme Court has passed an order or a judgement that validates the stand of the govt or the provisions of the Act, that itself is something that I should not be making any comment now," said Rijiju.
"When the opposition does not have any agenda in hand, they try to raise certain issues in Parliament to create disruptions and disturbances. These are bogus issues," Rijiju stated.
Senior Congress leader and former union minister Salman Khurshid alleged that the Centre is misusing PMLA.
"PMLA is not needed in the way it is being used. We condemn the misuse of PMLA. They (Enforcement Directorate) are showing their incompetence by doing 5 minutes of work in 3 days," Khurshid told ANI.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the validity of various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and disposed of various pleas challenging the provisions of the Act.
The order was delivered by a bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar.
( With inputs from ANI )
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