Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, May 18: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday disclosed that he had strongly opposed controversial amendments to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) during his tenure in the Union Cabinet, warning then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about their potential misuse.

Speaking at the launch of Narkatil Swarg (Heaven in Hell), a book by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut that recounts his 100-day incarceration under the PMLA, Pawar said, “I was part of the Union Cabinet when the amendment was brought by then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. The law shifted the burden of proof onto the accused. I raised my objection directly with Manmohan Singh and warned that a future government could weaponize it. Unfortunately, my concerns were dismissed.”

Pawar pointed out the irony that Chidambaram himself was later jailed under the very law he had helped shape. “What I feared came true. Eventually, even Chidambaram became a victim of the same law,” he said, referring to Chidambaram’s 2019 arrest under the PMLA.

The 2012 amendments expanded the scope of money laundering to include concealment, acquisition, possession, and use of criminal proceeds—provisions that critics now argue grant excessive powers to enforcement agencies like the ED.

Pawar emphasized that dismantling these provisions should be a top priority when there's a change in power at both state and central levels. “These amendments violate individual rights and are used to target political opponents. Reforming the PMLA must be among the first actions post-regime change,” he declared.

Adding to the criticism, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray called for decentralizing the powers under the PMLA, arguing that states should have the authority to use the law. “We are a union of states. Why should only the Centre wield the PMLA? States must also have equal rights,” Thackeray said.

Thackeray also recounted past attempts to crush the Shiv Sena by jailing its leaders. “We have never bowed down. We’ve fought every challenge thrown our way. And now, we must fight again—for a new government,” he urged.

Addressing the idea of One Nation, One Election, Thackeray advocated for electoral transparency and suggested that the Prime Minister should campaign impartially across parties, given the national significance of the office.

Sanjay Raut, whose arrest in the Patra Chawl redevelopment case drew widespread attention, described his book as a guide for those in opposition. “This book is not for those looking to align with the ruling side. It’s a political text for fighters,” he said.

Raut took a firm stance against what he termed an “authoritarian regime,” adding, “Neither I, nor Saket Gokhale, Sanjay Singh, or Anil Deshmukh will kneel. We’ve decided to resist. The country needs fearless voices now more than ever.”

As opposition leaders unite in their criticism of the PMLA's alleged misuse, calls for legislative reform and decentralization of power are gaining traction in political discourse.