Is entire ED full of incompetent officers, asks SC

Enforcement Directorate chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra. File pic/PTI

The Supreme Court on Thursday lambasted the Centre for seeking an extension in the tenure of Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra until October 15, and asked if the entire department is "full of incompetent people" except the incumbent chief.

"Are we not giving a picture that there is no other person and the entire department is full of incompetent people?" a bench headed by Justice B R Gavai told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

The top law officer argued before the bench, also comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol, that the continuity of the ED leadership is necessary in view of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) peer review whose rating matters.

Mehta said Mishra is "not indispensable" but his presence is necessary for the entire peer review exercise.

Representing the ED, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said, "Some neighbouring countries want India to fall into FATF's ‘grey list' and therefore, the ED chief's continuity is necessary".

The apex court allowed Mishra to stay on in the office until September 15, in "larger public and national interest". However, Mishra will cease to remain ED chief from the midnight of September 15, the bench made it clear.

Oct 15
The date of extension sought by the central government

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