The Enforcement Directorate is crossing “all the limits” and violating the federal concept of governance, the Supreme Court on Thursday said while staying the money laundering probe against Tamil Nadu-run liquor retailer TASMAC over alleged corruption in grant of wine shop licences.
Issuing notice to the ED on pleas filed by the Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih told Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the anti-money laundering probe agency, that “Your ED is crossing all the limits.”
“The Enforcement Directorate is violating the federal concept (of governance),” the bench observed, adding that the ED’s probe against the state-run TASMAC will not proceed in the meantime.
The law officer opposed the order, saying the issue involved corruption over Rs 1,000 crore and the ED is not crossing the limits “at least in this case.”