The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 10 informed a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court that the investigation into the Kodakara black money case in which State BJP leaders are allegedly involved is in progress and that efforts are being made to ascertain the proceeds of the crime as well as the money trail in the case.
The ED made the submissions when a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Kerala State unit seeking to call for a report on the action taken on its representations for fast-tracking the probe by the ED as well the Income Tax department in the case came up for hearing. The court later reserved its verdict on the petition.
The ED in a statement filed in response to the petition added that a meticulous investigation was required in such cases to find out the money trail, the proceeds of crime (PoC) and persons involved and perpetrators of offence of money laundering. The case under the investigation by the ED involved the offence of money laundering arising out of scheduled offence of dacoity. In fact, several persons have been questioned and their statements recorded, it said.
‘No locus standi’
The ED said the petition was a “clear abuse of the process of law.” The PIL was neither maintainable in law nor tenable on facts as the petitioner is no way connected with the alleged crime. Besides, a third party such as the petitioner had no locus standi to move such a PIL with respect to an investigation being conducted by competent authorities, it said.
