In a significant development, the Karnataka High Court has issued a stay on the summons directed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to B M Parvathy, wife of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Minister for Urban Development and Town Planning, Byrathi Suresh. The court’s decision pertains to allegations of irregularities in the allotment of 14 compensatory sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
On Monday, Justice M Nagaprasanna granted an interim order after considering separate petitions from Parvathy and Byrathi Suresh, who both challenged the legal basis of the ED’s summons. The summons were part of an ongoing investigation by the Lokayukta police into the MUDA land allotment scam.
The duo’s legal representatives, Senior Counsels C V Nagesh, Sandesh Chouta, and Vikram Huilgol, argued that the Karnataka High Court had previously quashed proceedings against a MUDA official under similar circumstances. Additionally, they highlighted that the High Court had already reserved judgment on a petition requesting that the Lokayukta’s ongoing investigation be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Opposing the motion, Additional Solicitor General of India, Arvind Kamath, representing the ED, maintained that there were no legal impediments preventing the agency from proceeding with the summons to gather evidence and record statements from the accused.
In its ruling, the court observed that allowing the ED to proceed could potentially undermine the High Court proceedings that are awaiting a decision on the potential involvement of the CBI. As a result, Justice Nagaprasanna ordered a stay on the ED’s summons until February 10, the next scheduled hearing.
