Apex Court reins in Enforcement Directorate

While hearing a petition filed by the state government, the Madras High Court, about a month ago, allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to continue its probe against TASMAC. Subsequently, the state government and the TASMAC management moved the Supreme Court.
The case came before the bench headed by the Chief Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai on Thursday. While hearing the case, the bench questioned the role of the ED in the TASMAC case since an FIR has already been registered against an official, and subsequent action was taken. “Should action be taken against the TASMAC administration for the crime committed by an official?” the bench condemned the ED for trespassing its limits.
The ED has gone beyond its limit in the TASMAC case, and destroyed the federal system with its action, the bench noted, before passing a stay order for the investigation.
As the Supreme Court pointed out, the ED has violated the Constitution, and their actions violated the basic principles of the Constitution – Federalism. That is why the Apex Court has slammed it and noted that it has gone far beyond its limits.
For the first time, the court has pointed out that the ED is acting against state rights, and expressed its opinion that the ED is acting politically. The same accusation that the state government, and political parties have been slapping against the ED.
Following the stay order, ED can no longer conduct search operations at TASMAC officials. Documents obtained through previous raids are not admissible in court. In order words, a tight rein has been put on the ED.