Mehbooba Mufti doesn't appear before ED in money laundering case

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate at its headquarters here in a money laundering case, citing that she had prior commitments that could not be cancelled.

However, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said she is ready and willing to be questioned in Srinagar, preferably at her residence or through video conference.

On March 19, the Delhi High Court had refused to stay summons issued to her after she moved the court seeking quashing of the summons in the case.

The ED, which had earlier summoned Mehbooba on March 15, had not insisted on her personal appearance at that time.

"I write to you in reference to the summons issued



to me to be present at your Delhi office on March 22. I have challenged in the Delhi High Court the constitutional vires of Section 50 of the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act), under which these summons are issued," she said in a letter to the ED.

The PDP leader said that without prejudice to any of the contentions in the proceedings before the high court, "I state that I am not in a position to attend the summon on 22nd March as I have prior commitments that cannot be cancelled at such short notice".

"If however you insist we must do it sooner, I am ready and willing to be questioned in Srinagar, preferably at my residence or through video conference from Srinagar," Mehbooba said in her letter.