Amendment to PMLA 2002 is Substantive and Prospective; Directorate Met 90-Day Prosecution Complaint Deadline.

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....The notification GSR 383(E) dated 19.04.2018 amended the relevant clause, which came into effect on the date of publication. Consequently, the Directorate had 90 days from 19.04.2018 to file the prosecution complaint. The prosecution complaint was filed on 16.07.2018, within the limitation period of 90 days. The Supreme Court clarified that a subsequent amendment is considered clarificatory and applied retrospectively only when the pre-amended law was vague or ambiguous, making interpretation impossible without the amendment. However, no such difficulty existed in interpreting the PMLA, 2002, making the amendment substantive and prospective. Procedural amendments apply retrospectively to actions after the date they come into force, even if .........