Union minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday hit out at the opposition after the Supreme Court refused to entertain the petition filed by 14 political parties against ‘arbitrary arrest’ by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
“They have been exposed. Congress is leading the corrupts. Investigative agencies have rights to take action against corrupts”, the minister was quoted by ANI as saying.
“Instead of cooperating in probe, Congress makes excuses to try and keep cases pending in courts”, Thakur added.
On Wednesday, the top court while refusing the plea of 14 political parties said that no law can be laid down in the abstract and urged the parties to come in an appropriate case or group of cases where a political leader is targeted.
The court said that based on statistics showing maximum ED, CBI cases are lodged against political leaders in Opposition, guidelines cannot be sought only for politicians as they do not enjoy any immunity from prosecution.
The plea alleged an alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent.
Sensing the disinclination on the part of the top court in entertaining the plea, senior advocate A M Sighvi, appearing for the political parties, sought permission to withdraw the petition.
Besides the Congress, the parties that are part of the joint move are the DMK, RJD, BRS, Trinamool Congress, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), JMM, JD(U), CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party and the J-K National Conference.
(With bureau, PTI inputs)
