PMLA verdict: SC to hear Karti petition in open court 

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear an application of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, seeking an open court hearing of his petition to review the top court’s last month’s verdict upholding the sweeping powers of ED relating to arrest, investigation, and attachment of property under the PMLA Act. 

“The application for oral hearing is allowed. List the matter in the Court on 25.08.2022,” the bench of CJI NV Ramana, Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar said in their order. The review was requested in response to the July 27 ruling handed down by the bench presided over by Justice AM Khanwilkar (retired) in a group of more than 200 petitions, which gave the ED the authority to make arrests, carry out searches and seizuresof profits of crime.

It was further noted by the SC bench that it was not an “ordinary offence.” In his petition, Chidambaram argued that the judgement should be reviewed because it contained grave errors, violated articles 20 (Protection in respect for conviction of offences) and 21 (Protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution, and went against long-established rules of criminal law.