The Centre has moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of industrialist Anil Ambani’s petition challenging proceedings under the Black Money Act from the Bombay High Court to the Delhi High Court, arguing that similar matters are already pending before the Delhi court.
What Has the Centre Asked the Supreme Court?
The Union government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking transfer of Anil Ambani’s pending case from the Bombay High Court to the Delhi High Court.
Ambani has challenged proceedings under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.
The matter came before a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi.
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Why Does the Centre Want the Case Transferred?
Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said similar petitions were already pending before another High Court.
The bench was told that the Delhi High Court was dealing with comparable matters and that the government wanted Ambani’s case transferred there.
Mehta said it would be appropriate for one High Court to decide such matters instead of different High Courts considering similar issues separately.
What Is Anil Ambani Challenging?
Ambani’s petition challenges action initiated against him under the Black Money Act.
The Bombay High Court had stayed coercive action against Ambani under the Act in 2026.
The Centre has now sought to move the pending proceedings to the Delhi High Court, where related legal questions are already being considered.
What Did the Supreme Court Say?
The Supreme Court bench referred to an earlier situation involving petitions challenging Section 171 of the GST Act. Those matters had first been transferred to the Delhi High Court, after which the court delivered its decision.
The Centre urged the bench to follow a similar approach in cases concerning the Black Money Act.
The Supreme Court bench indicated that the petition could be filed in the Bombay High Court, but the Delhi High Court would consider the matter.
Why Is the Delhi High Court Important?
The bench said the Delhi High Court’s decision on the issue was clear and expressed hope that an effort would be made to allow the Delhi High Court to decide the matter.
It also observed that the longer the High Court takes to decide the issue, the more difficult it could become to bring back black money deposited abroad.
What Happens Next?
The Centre’s counsel said there was a significant backlog of matters before the Delhi High Court and that proceedings concerning the recovery of black money were stalled.
The Supreme Court asked the Centre to seek separate hearings in different High Courts for pending matters and deferred the hearing.
