New Delhi, Aug. 12 -- The Supreme Court on Monday turned down a petition by former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Kumar Baghel questioning the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) powers to carry out "further investigation" and keep filing charge sheets under section 44 of the prevention of money laundering act (PMLA). A bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi held that the provision has procedural safeguards as held in the landmark decision of the top court in Vijay Madanlal Chaudhary (2022) upholding the PMLA provisions and left it open for Baghel or any other petitioner to challenge any breach of these safeguards by ED. Disposing Baghel's petition, the bench said, "There is no gainsay that if ED/authority has acted contrary to the above stated principles explained in the VMC case, aggrieved persons including the petitioner can approach the appropriate forum or the high court." Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for Baghel pointed out that the petition challenged section 44 of PMLA besides other provisions of the anti-money laundering act for being too broad as it allows ED to keep arresting persons, forcing them to give statements, and filing charge sheets, jeopardising the liberty of citizens. He approached the court apprehending his arrest in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam after his son was arrested last month by the ED. The bench said, "An investigation is never against an accused. It is against an offence. So an accused, in terms of investigation, may be incidental." The court said that the provision for further investigation is provided under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) recognizing the power available with the investigating agency to secure the ends of justice and undertake a voyage in pursuit of finding truth....