The Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002
8. Adjudication.-
1. On
receipt of a complaint under sub-section (5) of section 5, or applications made
under sub-section (4) of section 17 or under sub-section (10) of section 18, if
the Adjudicating Authority has reason to believe that any person has committed
an offence under section 3, it may serve a notice of not less than thirty days
on such person calling upon him to indicate the sources of his income, earning
or assets, out of which or by means of which he has acquired the property
attached under sub-section (1) of section 5, or, seized under section 17 or
section 18, the evidence on which he relies and other relevant information and
particulars, and to show cause why all or any of such properties should not be
declared to be the properties in solved in money-laundering and confiscated by
the Central Government: Provided that where a notice under this sub-section
specifies any property as being held by a person on behalf of any other person,
a copy of such notice shall also be served upon such other person: Provided further
that where such property is held jointly by more than one person, such notice
shall be served to all persons holding such property.
2. The
Adjudicating Authority shall, after-
a. considering the
reply, if any, to the notice issued under sub-section (1);
b. hearing the aggrieved
person and the Director or any other officer authorised by him in this behalf;
and
c. taking into account
all relevant materials placed on record before him, by an order, record a
finding whether all or any of the properties referred to in the notice issued
under sub-section (1) are involved in money-laundering: Provided that if the
property is claimed by a person, other than a person to whom the notice had
been issued, such person shall also be given an opportunity of being heard to
prove that the property is not involved in money-laundering.
1.
2.
3. Where
the Adjudicating Authority decides under sub-section (2) that any property is
involved in money-laundering, he shall, by an order in writing, confirm the
attachment of the property made under sub-section (1) of section 5 or retention
of property or record seized under section 17 or section 18 and record a
finding to that effect, such attachment or retention of the seized property or
record shall- (a) continue during the pendency of the proceedings relating to
any scheduled offence before a court; and (b) become final after the guilt of
the person is proved in the trial court and order of such trial court becomes
final.
4. Where
the provisional order of attachment made under sub-section (1) of section 5 has
been confirmed under sub-section (3), the Director or any other officer
authorised by him in this behalf shall forthwith take the possession of the
attached property .
5. Where
on conclusion of a trial for any scheduled offence, the person concerned is
acquitted, the attachment of the property or retention of the seized property
or record under sub-section (3) and net income, if any, shall cease to have
effect.
6.
Where
the attachment of any property or retention of the seized property or record
becomes final under clause (b) of sub-section (3), the Adjudicating Authority
shall, after giving an opportunity of being heard to the person concerned, make
an order onfiscating such property.