Fourteen political parties, including the Indian National Congress, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and Rashtriya Janata Dal, filed a petition to the Supreme Court on Friday, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government of misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The petitioners also sought pre-arrest guidelines.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior counsel, brought up the matter before Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, requesting that it be listed urgently.
Singhvi claimed that the CBI and ED were being exclusively employed against them, stating that 95 percent of investigations carried out by central agencies are against opposition party leaders.
In the previous month, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi summoned Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and 14 others following the CBI’s chargesheet regarding an alleged land-for-job scam. The CBI later summoned Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav, for questioning in relation to the same case.
In a previous incident, the CBI arrested Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the excise policy of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD). Later, the ED also arrested Sisodia in the liquor policy case after he was questioned for several hours at Tihar Jail. The ED had started questioning the senior AAP leader, who was also a founding member of the party, a few days prior to his statement is recorded.
The CJI agreed to list the case on April 5.
Written by Rishav raj BBA ll.b 4th semester ( RNB GLOBAL UNIVERSITY )