Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Timely caution: On the Supreme Court’s exhortation to the Enforcement Directorate

Timely caution: On the Supreme Court’s exhortation to the Enforcement Directorate

The top court has rightly cautioned probe agencies against crossing limits

The Supreme Court’s exhortation to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) (प्रवर्तन निदेशालय) not to create an atmosphere (परिस्थितियाँ, वायुमण्डल) of fear indicates how much the agency needs to temper its zeal in investigating allegations (आरोप, अभियोग) against political opponents (विरोधी, प्रतिद्वंद्वी) of the current regime (प्रशासन). Responding to complaints that the ED is harassing (परेशान करना, पीड़ा देना) employees of the Excise Department in Chhattisgarh in the name of (in order to assist a specific thing; for the sake of, at the behest of; on behalf of) investigating the money-laundering aspects of an alleged (कथित, माना जाता है) liquor (alcoholic drink) scandal, a Bench (a court of law with a number of judges) has made the pertinent (applicable, appropriate, suitable, related, relevant) point that even a bona fide (प्रामाणिक, वैध, कानूनी) cause (कारण) would seem suspect if a law enforcement agency (कानून प्रवर्तन एजेंसियां) conducted itself in a way that created fear. The observation (remark, comment, statement, pronouncement) is both a caution against transgressing (उल्लंघन करना, अवज्ञा करना) the limits of a lawful investigation and a warning against letting a perception (अनुभव, समझ) gain ground (make progress, make headway, progress, advance; become popular, become widely known, become widely accepted) that the agency would go to any lengths to implicate (फँसाना, शामिल करना) someone. Given (considering, taking into account, bearing in mind) that several leaders and Ministers from States ruled by parties other than the BJP have been summoned (order someone to be present; call for, ask for, request the presence of) by the ED, or arrested and imprisoned (कैद करना, बंदी बनाना), not many will be surprised at the charges levelled (direct (a charge/allegation/accusation)) on behalf of the Chhattisgarh government that the agency is running amok and that its officers were threatening State officers, in an alleged bid (attempt, try, endeavour) to implicate the State’s Chief Minister, Bhupesh Baghel. These charges may or may not be accurate, but the core problem is that the number of political adversaries under the agency’s adverse (unfavourable, disadvantageous, unfortunate, dreadful, terrible, hostile, ill-disposed, inimical) notice is unusually high.

A major complaint from the Opposition concerns the alleged politicisation (a state/condition/situation of something which is influenced/controlled by politics) of investigations and the personnel (force, crew, employees, workforce, staff) heading the agency. Some parties fear that the money-laundering law is being used for a political witch-hunt (it means to find and punish people believed to be evil- even if they were not. It does also mean an unfair campaign by one side against its political opponents). The list of offences (crime, misconduct, misdeed, wrongdoing, criminal act) that may attract (evoke, tempt, engage, draw) a money-laundering probe, over and above (in addition to, on top of, over and beyond, plus, as well as, besides, along with) the police investigation into them, is quite long. Corruption allegations being quite common against politicians holding public office, each time a scam or a scandal is uncovered (reveal, show, display, exhibit, disclose), the ED follows closely on the heels of (close behind, soon after, right after, following closely) the agency conducting the anti-corruption probe, to register a separate case under the Prevention of Money Laundering (a secret act of moving illegally acquired funds into legal bank accounts or investments) Act. While there is no problem with a stringent (strict, severe, extreme, rigorous) law on the subject (topic, matter, point, issue), its executors have to be cautious (careful, attentive, wary) about excessive zeal and expansive (extensive, sweeping, all-embracing, comprehensive, thorough, inclusive) probes without identifying specific payoffs (return, gain, yield) or following a money trail (a series of financial transactions & exchanges revealed as evidence during the investigation of an individual/organisation (involving in illegal business)). The current Director of Enforcement was appointed for a two-year term in 2018, but continues to this day, thanks to (as a result of, owing to, due to, because of) extensions and a change in the law governing such extensions. The government has now assured the Supreme Court that he will not continue beyond November 23. The government often says the agency is only doing its duty and holding (conduct, have) lawful investigations, but the perception of others is unlikely (doubtful, implausible, improbable, questionable) to be positive in the backdrop (situation, scenario, context) of the way it controls the agency’s leadership.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.timely (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - समय पर, शीघ्र
English Meaning - prompt, well timed, at the right time, opportune, appropriate.

2.Enforcement Directorate (ED) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रवर्तन निदेशालय
English Meaning - Directorate of Enforcement is a specialized financial investigation agency under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It was established in the year 1956 with its Headquarters at New Delhi. It is responsible for enforcement of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) (Civil Law) and certain provisions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) (Criminal Law).

3.atmosphere (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिस्थितियाँ, वायुमण्डल
English Meaning - conditions, circumstances, backdrop/background.

4.allegation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप, अभियोग
English Meaning - accusation, charge, indictment.

5.opponent (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विरोधी, प्रतिद्वंद्वी
English Meaning - adversary, the opposition, rival.

6.regime (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशासन
English Meaning - government.

7.harass (verb)

Hindi Meaning - परेशान करना, पीड़ा देना
English Meaning - bother, annoy, disturb, trouble, torment.

8.alleged (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कथित, माना जाता है
English Meaning - supposed, claimed, professed, purported, reported, ostensible.

9.bona fide (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रामाणिक, वैध, कानूनी
English Meaning - legitimate, legal, genuine, real, authentic.

10.cause (nun)

Hindi Meaning - कारण
English Meaning - reason.

11.law enforcement agencies (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कानून प्रवर्तन एजेंसियां
English Meaning - a government agency responsible for enforcing the law. For example - Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and etc.

12.transgress (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लंघन करना, अवज्ञा करना
English Meaning - breach, contravene, disobey, break.

13.perception (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनुभव, समझ
English Meaning - understanding, discernment, recognition/realization; interpretation.

14.implicate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - फँसाना, शामिल करना
English Meaning - involve, connect, incriminate, embroil, enmesh, inculpate (someone in a crime).

15.imprison (verb)

Hindi Meaning - कैद करना, बंदी बनाना
English Meaning - incarcerate, arrest, prison, take into custody.

16.exhortation (noun)

English Meaning - a communication/statement that forcefully urges someone to do something; urging, encouragement, pushing, insistence; call, demand, entreaty, appeal.

17.temper (verb)

English Meaning - moderate, tone down, mitigate, decrease, lessen.

18.zeal (noun)

English Meaning - enthusiasm, eagerness, keenness, appetite, devotion.

19.in the name of (phrase)

English Meaning - in order to assist a specific thing; for the sake of, at the behest of; on behalf of.

20.money laundering (noun)

English Meaning - a secret act of moving illegally acquired funds into legal bank accounts or investments.

21.liquor (noun)

English Meaning - alcoholic drink.

22.scandal (noun)

English Meaning - impropriety, misconduct, wrongdoing, crime.

23.bench (noun)

English Meaning - a court of law with a number of judges.

24.pertinent (adjective)

English Meaning - applicable, appropriate, suitable, related, relevant.

25.observation (noun)

English Meaning - remark, comment, statement, pronouncement.

26.gain ground (phrase)

English Meaning - make progress, make headway, progress, advance; become popular, become widely known, become widely accepted.

27.go to (any) lengths (phrase)

English Meaning - to do whatever/anything possible to complete a task (and achieve a goal); go to any extreme, go to any limits.

28.given (preposition)

English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

29.summon (verb)

English Meaning - order someone to be present; call for, ask for, request the presence of.

30.level (verb)

English Meaning - direct (a charge/allegation/accusation).

31.on behalf of (phrase)

English Meaning - in the name of, at the behest of, in the interest of.

32.run amok (phrase)

English Meaning - get out of control, go berserk, rampage.

33.bid (noun)

English Meaning - attempt, try, endeavour.

34.adverse (adjective)

English Meaning - unfavourable, disadvantageous, unfortunate, dreadful, terrible, hostile, ill-disposed, inimical.

35.politicisation (noun)

English Meaning - a state/condition/situation of something which is influenced/controlled by politics.

36.personnel (noun)

English Meaning - force, crew, employees, workforce, staff.

37.witch hunt (noun)

English Meaning - it means to find and punish people believed to be evil- even if they were not. It does also mean an unfair campaign by one side against its political opponents.

38.offence (noun)

English Meaning - crime, misconduct, misdeed, wrongdoing, criminal act.

39.attract (verb)

English Meaning - evoke, tempt, engage, draw.

40.over and above (phrase)

English Meaning - in addition to, on top of, over and beyond, plus, as well as, besides, along with.

41.uncover (verb)

English Meaning - reveal, show, display, exhibit, disclose.

42.on the heels of (phrase)

English Meaning - close behind, soon after, right after, following closely.

43.Prevention of Money-Laundering Act (PMLA) , 2002 (noun)

English Meaning - It is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted by the NDA government to prevent money-laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from money-laundering.

44.stringent (adjective)

English Meaning - strict, severe, extreme, rigorous.

45.subject (noun)

English Meaning - topic, matter, point, issue.

46.cautious (adjective)

English Meaning - careful, attentive, wary.

47.expansive (adjective)

English Meaning - extensive, sweeping, all-embracing, comprehensive, thorough, inclusive.

48.payoff (noun)

English Meaning - return, gain, yield.

49.money trail (noun)

English Meaning - a series of financial transactions & exchanges revealed as evidence during the investigation of an individual/organisation (involving in illegal business).

50.thanks to (phrase)

English Meaning - as a result of, owing to, due to, because of.

51.hold (verb)

English Meaning - conduct, have.

52.unlikely (adjective)

English Meaning - doubtful, implausible, improbable, questionable.

53.backdrop (noun)

English Meaning - situation, scenario, context.