4 hrs ago
Centre Seeks Transfer of Anil Ambani Black Money Plea
The Indian government wants a court case filed by Anil Ambani moved from one High Court to another.
The case challenges a law about undisclosed money and assets held outside India.
Ambani filed the case in the Bombay High Court.
The government wants the Delhi High Court to hear it instead.
Government lawyer Zoheb Hossain said the Bombay case has not moved forward.
He said a similar Delhi case is ready to be heard.
Chief Justice Surya Kant asked why Delhi should be chosen over Bombay.
The Supreme Court gave the government time to provide more information before continuing the matter.
The Centre asked the Supreme Court to transfer Anil Ambani’s Bombay High Court plea to the Delhi High Court.
The plea challenges the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant questioned why Delhi should be preferred over Bombay.
The government said the Bombay case had gone into “cold storage,” while the Delhi matter was ready for hearing.
The Centre sought two weeks to provide details on similar challenges pending in other High Courts.
- Who
- The Centre, Anil Ambani, the Supreme Court, and the High Courts of Bombay and Delhi.
- What
- The Centre sought to transfer Anil Ambani’s challenge to the Black Money Act from the Bombay High Court to the Delhi High Court.
- Where
- The underlying plea is pending in the Bombay High Court, while the requested transferee court is the Delhi High Court.
- When
- The matter was heard on Tuesday; the Centre sought two weeks to submit further information.
- Why
- The Centre said the Bombay matter had stalled and a similar Delhi case was ready for hearing, while also citing concerns about multiple proceedings.
Centre’s Position
Supreme Court’s Questions
Transfer to Delhi
Centre’s Position
The Centre wants the plea moved to the Delhi High Court because it says the Bombay matter has gone into “cold storage” and a Delhi matter is ready for hearing.
Supreme Court’s Questions
The Supreme Court questioned why Delhi should be preferred over Bombay and noted that the other side could seek transfers in the opposite direction.
Avoiding multiple proceedings
Centre’s Position
The Centre argued that leaving related matters in different courts could create a multiplicity of proceedings.
Supreme Court’s Questions
The Chief Justice suggested that the Delhi High Court could decide first and that its decision could then be cited before the Bombay High Court.
Key facts
- Petitioner
- Anil Ambani, chairman and managing director of the Reliance Group
- Respondent
- The Centre, representing the Union government
- Law challenged
- Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015
- Current court
- Bombay High Court
- Requested court
- Delhi High Court
- Supreme Court concern
- Chief Justice Surya Kant questioned why one High Court should be preferred over another
- Next step
- The Centre requested two weeks to provide details of similar challenges pending across High Courts
Quotes
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
Chief Justice of India who headed the Supreme Court bench hearing the transfer request
“Why should we prefer one High Court over another?”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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