The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday filed a 13-page affidavit in the Supreme Court saying the arrest and interrogation of former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram is necessary to “unearth a larger and wider case of money laundering”.
It said the ED was tracking the money trail to clamp down on black money and there is a strong prima facie case against Mr. Chidambaram based on cogent evidence as contemplated under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The affidavit said a complaint filed under PMLA is akin to a chargesheet, which has not yet been filed. It said there is substantive evidence showing a prima facie case of “serious offence of money laundering” which requires his arrest and interrogation.
His arrest is necessary because as a former Minister he wields substantive and pervasive influence to falsify evidence, the ED said. Custodial interrogation would enable the agency to confront him with evidence.
