A timely ‘lesson’ for the ED

The manner in which the top court of the country has pulled up the all-powerful Enforcement Directorate (ED) while cautioning against the agency being used as a tool in political battles, was something long awaited by democratic minded citizens.

The Supreme Court, has in no ambiguous terms, stated that ‘’Let political battles be fought before the electorate. Why are you being used,’’ in a clear hauling up of those bent on ensuring that ED officials go after politicians of the Opposition.

The court made the powerful remarks while upholding the Karnataka High Court’s decision to quash the case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, pertaining to allotment of sites by MUDA. The Opposition BJP and JD(S) had tried their best to embarrass the CM over the ‘corruption ‘ charge, which has now come to naught.

For the ED and its political masters, this is a curt lesson to thread softly when it comes to going after Opposition politicians. Public memory is not too short and people clearly remember the manner in which Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was hounded by the ED and sent to jail in an alleged land scam case in the run-up to the Jharkhand Assembly polls. In the span of a few months, he was released from jail on bail and went on to handsomely win the Assembly polls in November 2024.

Soren, Arvind Kejriwal (AAP), Manish Sisodia (AAP) , DK Shivakumar (Congress) and K. Kavitha (BRS)…the names go on and on with BJP leaders conspicuously missing from the ED’s list.

The comment by the Supreme Court could maybe make the central agency readjust its sights and make sure that it does not go after Opposition politicians unless there is a genuine reason to do so. It could also be doing a good service to the nation by ensuring ‘corrupt’ BJP politicos (if they are any) are brought to book!