The Supreme Court on Thursday criticized the Enforcement Directorate for ‘crossing all limits’ and undermining the federal structure of governance, as it ordered a stay on the money laundering investigation against Tamil Nadu’s state-run liquor retailer TASMAC over alleged irregularities in the issuance of wine shop licences.

Issuing a notice to the Enforcement Directorate on petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), a bench led by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih addressed Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, who was representing the ED, stating that ‘Your ED is crossing all the limits.’ The bench observed that the Enforcement Directorate is violating the federal concept of governance. Further adding that the ED probe will not proceed against the state-run TASMAC in the meantime. Countering the court, the law officer said that the issues involved corruption of over Rs 1000 crore and hence ED is not crossing any boundaries at least in this particular case, reported PTI