New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday criticised the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying political battles should be fought in elections, not through investigative agencies.
“Don’t open our mouths. Otherwise, we will be forced to make harsh comments about the ED,” Chief Justice of India BR Gavai said during the hearing of the ED’s appeal in the Mysuru Urban Development Board (MUDA) case.
“I have some experience of Maharashtra. Don’t spread this violence across the country,” the CJI added while hearing the matter with Justice K Vinod Chandran.
The ED had summoned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, BM Parvathi, in the MUDA case, but the summons were quashed by the Karnataka High Court in March. The ED challenged the order in the Supreme Court, which dismissed its appeal.
Earlier, on May 22, the Supreme Court criticised the ED in the Tamil Nadu liquor shop licence case, observing that the agency had “crossed all limits” by interfering when the state government’s investigating agency was already taking action.
The court said the ED was violating the federal structure of the country while hearing the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) and the Tamil Nadu government.
