Question people only during office hours: ED to officers

"NO UNEARTHLY TIMINGS"

The Enforcement Directorate has issued a fresh circular directing its officials or investigating officers (IOs) to not question people called on summons at "unearthly" hours and not keep them waiting for hours at their office.

The technical circular was issued on October 11 after the Bombay High Court directed the federal agency to issue directives in this context as it took up the petition of a person who was summoned by the ED and "detained overnight and interrogated."

The HC found that the 64-year-old petitioner was summoned to the ED office for questioning and was kept waiting post mid-night. Recording of his statement, at unearthly hours, "definitely results in deprivation of a person's sleep, basic human right of an individual", it said.

The court said it "disapproved" of such a practice by the agency and directed it to issue a circular or directive to its IOs regarding timing and recording of statements of people following issuance of summons under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).