NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) which was probing a sand mining case in Tamil Nadu, and sought information from four District Collectors (DCs), had told the Supreme Court on Monday that they had not shared all of it to the Central agency.
However, Senior advocate, Kapil Sibal for State and four DCs, told the apex court bench, led by Justice Bela M Trivedi, and Justice Pankaj Mithal, that they have appeared (before the ED) as per the court's order. "Everything as sought in summons has been shared," he told the bench of the top court.
Opposing this, the ED's lawyer, Zoheb Hossain, said that no, they have not (shared all). "Let me supply on affidavit. In their statements they said they will give later, let me place in some weeks time," he told the apex court.
Sibal also alleged against the ED that they made the DCs arrive at 8am in the morning and sit till 6pm.
After hearing this, the apex court asked the ED, and observed that you could not do that. "Do not keep them waiting, they have to tend to their districts. Do not make them wait unnecessarily."
The top court also asked the ED to file a compliance affidavit till then in the case, and fixed the matter for further hearing post summer vacations after July 07.
The Supreme Court was hearing the case related to sand mining on Monday and summoned all four DCs to appear in person before the Enforcement Directorate.
In its last hearing on April 02, the apex court bench had observed that the ED can summon 'any person' for 'any information'. The top court had ordered these four District Collectors to appear in person before the ED on April 25, while strongly deprecating them for not being present in response to the ED summons.
The court had earlier ordered that the four DCs have to be present in person before the ED on April 25, and listed the case for hearing for today, on May 6.
