Special PMLA courts needed to speed up PMLA trials: SC

The Supreme Court has underlined the need for setting up special PMLA courts to ensure expeditious disposal of cases. A three-member bench of justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh stressed on the need for ED to improve its probe.

Speaking for the bench, justice Kant told the ED counsel that unless "fast track dedicated courts" are set up, the trials in PMLA cases will remain hanging fire for years. Justice Bhuyan weighed in orally observing that the conviction rate of ED is very low. "Improve your investigation. Only 10% conviction rate," justice Bhuyan told the ED counsel who responded that the rich and powerful accused hire a battery of lawyers and file so many applications with the sole purpose of delaying trial.

The development took place during the resumed hearing of pleas seeking review of SC's 2022 PMLA ruling that upheld its various provisions . In a related development, SC took strong exception to 'forum shopping' by certain litigants.