SC questions ED role, upholds HC order clearing Siddaramaiah’s wife | India News
NEW DELHI: SC on Monday questioned ED’s conduct in politically sensitive cases as it upheld Karnataka HC’s decision to quash the case against state CM Siddaramaiah‘s wife B M Parvathi in a case under the anti-money laundering law.Cautioning against the agency being used as a tool in political battles, a bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K V Chandran said, “Let political battles be fought before the electorate. Why are you being used?”The bench was hearing ED’s appeal against the HC order that quashed proceedings against Parvathi in the case related to the alleged irregular allotment of compensatory sites in posh areas of Mysuru in lieu of her low-value land acquired by Muda.Additional solicitor general S V Raju sought to justify ED’s action but was stopped by CJI Gavai who said, “Please don’t open your mouth. If you do, we will be compelled to make some harsh comments…”The bench dismissed ED’s petition and said, “Thank you for saving your client (ED) from some harsh comments.” Acting on ED’s appeal, the bench held, “We do not find any error in the reasoning adopted in the approach of the learned single judge (of the HC)… we dismiss it.”The HC on March 7 set aside ED’s summons to the CM’s wife in the case. It also quashed the summons issued to urban development minister B S Suresh, who was not named as an accused, but was called for questioning by ED. The HC verdict came on petitions filed by Parvathi and Suresh challenging ED’s action. The summons were stayed by the court on Jan 27.Siddaramaiah is also facing allegations of illegalities in allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi by Muda. The CM, his wife, brother-in-law B M Mallikarjun Swamy, Devaraju – from whom Swamy had purchased a land and gifted it to Parvathi – and others were named in the FIR registered by Lokayukta Police establishment on Sept 27 last year following the order of the special court dealing with cases of MPs/MLAs.
