Delhi HC grants time to Robert Vadra to file rejoinder in plea challenging PMLA sections

Delhi High Court on Thursday granted time to Robert Vadra to file a rejoinder on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) reply to the petition challenging the constitutional validity of certain sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The plea filed by Robert Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora had also sought quashing of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), under which they have been charged.

A division bench of Justices Manmohan and Justice Sangeeta Dhingra Sehgal also dismissed as withdrawn, another plea by the petitioners seeking no coercive action against them as both have already been granted anticipatory bail by the trial court.

ED had filed its reply after the court sought its response on the plea.

The court has slated the next hearing in the case to Aug 21.

Senior advocate KTS Tulsi, who is from Congress, appeared for Vadra and Arora while senior lawyer Amit Mahajan and DP Singh represented the ED.

Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, who had earlier appeared for ED, had questioned the maintainability of the petition challenging the PMLA Sections saying that the matter concerned is already pending before the Supreme Court.

The pleas seeking quashing of the case against them is an abuse of the process of the law, Mehta had told the court.

Vadra is accused of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property at 12, Bryanston Square allegedly worth 1.9 million pounds.