Centre Moves Supreme Court To Transfer Anil Ambani's Black Money Act Plea From Bombay HC To Delhi HC

New Delhi: The Centre has moved the Supreme Court seeking to transfer the petition filed by the chairman and managing director of the Reliance Group, Anil Ambani, in the Bombay High Court challenging the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, to the Delhi High Court.

The matter was heard by a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Tuesday. The Centre has sought two weeks to submit detailed information about similar challenges pending across different High Courts, Bar and Bench reported.

Supreme Court questions transfer

The top court asked the Centre why transfer to the Delhi High Court is being sought and why one High Court was being preferred over another.

The Bench asked the Union government why transfer to the Delhi High Court is being sought, and why one High Court was being preferred over another.

"Why should we prefer one High Court over another?" CJI Surya Kant asked.

Government cites pending hearing

Advocate Zoheb Hossain, representing the Union government, argued that the plea before the Bombay High Court has gone into cold storage, but in the Delhi High Court, the matter is "ripe for hearing".

CJI Kant said that the cases can be decided by the Delhi High Court first and then the decisions can be cited before the Bombay High Court.

Multiplicity of proceedings raised

However, Hossain argued that it would lead to a multiplicity of proceedings before different forums. CJI Kant said that the other side may demand that the Delhi High Court matters may be transferred to Bombay.

Hossain then requested that the matter be adjourned so that the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta could argue the case.