Rs 18,000 crore in Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi cases confiscated: Govt in SC

Rs 18,000 crore - this is the amount of money that has been confiscated in cases involving high-profile fugitive businessmen like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Mehul Choksi.

Meanwhile, Rs 67,000 crore is the amount of money that features in cases where courts have passed orders of no coercive action against the accused.

These were statements reportedly made by the Union government in the Supreme Court during a hearing on the powers of the Enforcement Directorate, and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, or PMLA.

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The law has reportedly been criticised over a range of issues in court - from stringent bail conditions, to non-revelation of reason for arrest, and failure to furnish FIR during arrest. The other issues reportedly include definition of money laundering, proceeds of crime, and rules concerning evidence.

Countering apprehensions of misuse, the government reportedly submitted in court that since 2002, when PMLA was enacted, only 313 arrests have been made. On behalf of the Centre, solicitor general Tushar Mehta reportedly said that between 2016 and 2021, 2,186 cases have been taken up for investigation by ED in India, while the number is much higher in other countries like the UK, the US, China, Belgium, and Russia.

The government said that sufficient safeguards, and checks and balances are in place.