ED Action “Illegal”, Praful Patel Gets Back Rs 180 Crore Mumbai Home

ED Action “Illegal”, Praful Patel Gets Back Rs 180 Crore Mumbai Home

Keywords: Praful Patel, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mumbai Home, Illegal Action

Mumbai: In a setback to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Bombay High Court has ruled that the agency’s action against former Union Minister Praful Patel was “illegal” and has ordered the return of his Rs 180 crore Mumbai home.

The ED had attached Patel’s residence in April 2022 as part of its money laundering probe into the purchase of two flats in London. The agency alleged that Patel had laundered proceeds of crime through the flats.

However, Justice Gautam Patel of the High Court quashed the ED’s attachment order, stating that it was “without jurisdiction.” The court ruled that the agency had not followed the required procedures before attaching the property and that it had failed to prove that the funds used to purchase the London flats were proceeds of crime.

Patel’s lawyer, Amit Desai, hailed the court’s decision as a “victory for the rule of law.” He argued that the ED had “overstepped its authority” and that Patel was “a victim of political vendetta.”

The ED is expected to challenge the High Court’s ruling in the Supreme Court.

The case has raised concerns about the misuse of investigative agencies by the government to target political opponents. Opposition parties have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of using the ED to silence dissent and harass non-BJP leaders.

The government has denied these allegations, claiming that the ED is an independent agency that operates strictly in accordance with the law.