BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: In a major relief to Chief minister Siddaramaiah, who is currently grappling with a leadership tussle with his deputy D.K. Shivakumar, the Supreme Court Monday dismissed an appeal filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging a Karnataka High Court decision that had quashed summons issued to his wife, BM Parvathi, in connection with the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) alternative site allotment case.A bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran upheld the HC’s March 7 order, remarking that political battles should be fought in the public domain, not in courtrooms. The judges expressed concern over the ED’s involvement in such matters.“Unfortunately, I have some experience in Maharashtra. Please do not force us to say something. Otherwise, we have to say something very harsh about the ED. Let political battles be fought among the electorate. Why are you being used for it?” the Bench remarked.Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for the ED, responded: “Okay, we will withdraw. But let it not be treated as a precedent.”Despite the ASG’s offer to withdraw, the court proceeded to reject the ED’s plea, stating there was no error in the reasoning adopted by the single-judge bench of the High Court.“We do not find any error in reasoning adopted in the approach of the single judge. In peculiar facts and circumstances, we dismiss it. We should thank you, ASG, for saving some harsh comments,” the Bench said.The case pertains to allegations of irregularities in the allocation of sites by MUDA to Parvathi. According to the complaint, she was ‘gifted’ over three acres of land by her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy, who had bought the property after it was de-notified. The land was subsequently developed by MUDA despite being under private ownership.Parvathi later sought compensation, which she allegedly received in the form of 14 developed plots in a high profile locality said to be of significantly higher value than the original land, under a 50:50 scheme. She later surrendered the land to the authorities.Justice M Nagaprasanna of the Karnataka HC had earlier quashed the ED summons to Parvathi, as well as to urban development minister Byrathi Suresh, who was not named as an accused but was sought to be questioned in the case.
