Coal scam case: CBI witness moves SC after ED names him accused in linked case, claims violation of fundamental right

Claiming potential violation of his fundamental right, a man listed by the CBI as a witness in a coal scam case has approached the Supreme Court against the Enforcement Directorate’s decision naming him as an accused in the linked money laundering case, calling the action of the two federal probe agencies “inherently contradictory”. An apex court bench of Justices Aniruddh Bose and Bela M Trivedi has issued notice to the ED on a petition by Goutam Karmakar, who has questioned the anti-money laundering agency’s action wondering how could it make him an accused in a predicate offence when he is not facing any investigation by the CBI or other agencies for the schedule offence. A predicate offence is a component of the larger crime.