SC raps ED over custody of liquor scam accused

The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for keeping in custody former Chhattisgarh excise official Arun Pati Tripathi, an accused in the Chhattisgarh liquor case, without challenging a February 7 order of the Chhattisgarh high court (HC) which held that the ED case did not have the requisite sanction.

- Abraham Thomas

NEW DELHI:

Questioning the approach of ED, a bench headed by justice Abhay S Oka said, "What kind of signal are you (ED) sending? A person is in custody since August 8, 2024? As of today, there is no order of a court taking cognisance of the complaint against him and he is still in custody?"

Granting bail to Tripathi, the bench noted that on October 5, 2024 the special court hearing cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) took cognisance of the ED complaint (or charge sheet) filed against Tripathi and other accused accusing them of money laundering charges arising out of irregularities in liquor sale in the state, with the amount involved being in excess of ₹2,000 crore.