Over 500 concerned citizens, democratic rights’ activists across movements, women’s groups, students and academics condemned the misuse of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against scholars and activists, raising constitutional issues and asking for the government’s accountability.

We the undersigned women’s organisations and concerned individuals strongly condemn the continuous and repeated harassment of a number of women activists and intellectuals, by the Enforcement Directorate(ED), under the guise of an inquiry, in Delhi. This is a clear abuse of its extraordinary and draconian powers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). As in the case of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), there are increasing instances of the misuse of PMLA, especially against persons who are vocal critics of the government and its policies, and those who raise issues of the poor and oppressed sections of society. The ED is being used as an intimidation tool for political vendetta, where the process is the punishment for the detention of dissenters.

In the course of the last few months, several women scholars and activists have been summoned repeatedly, made to wait long hours, often interrogated without any woman officer present throughout, asked to furnish documents over and over again, in an ED investigation. In a clear case of evergreening the inquiry, the process has become endless. It is quickly turning into a fishing expedition, with all kinds of irrelevant documents and personal information being demanded, such as those about other family members, having no relevance to the inquiry whatsoever. Continue reading STOP THIS WITCH HUNT – DON’T MISUSE PMLA AGAINST SCHOLARS AND ACTIVISTS! Statement by concerned citizens →