The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to list for hearing on April 5 a plea by 14 opposition parties, led by the Congress, alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against political opponents. A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud took note of the submissions of senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for the opposition parties such as the DMK, RJD, Bharat Rashtra Samiti, Trinamool Congress, NCP, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, JD(U), CPI(M), Communist Party of India, Samajwadi Party and J&K National Conference, and said the plea would be taken up for hearing on April 5. “I am asking for the guidelines for the future. This is a remarkable convergence of 14 parties against the misuse of the agencies, both CBI and ED. Ninety five percent cases of the CBI and ED are against the leaders of opposition,” Singhvi said. The senior lawyer referred to the rise in the number of cases filed by CBI and ED after the NDA government came to power. “Second statistics, pre-2014 and post-2014. Tere is a humongous jump in cases. The rate of conviction is four to five percent. We are asking for pre-arrest guidelines and post-arrest bail guidelines,” Singhvi said.
Meanwhile The AAP on Friday said 14 opposition parties have approached the Supreme Court against the alleged arbitrary use of central probe agencies in an attempt to raise their voice against the “dictatorship” of BJP. Senior AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi also alleged that the BJP has become a “washing machine” which cleans all the dirt on political leaders once they join it. The AAP is among the 14 parties, led by the Congress, which approached the apex court on Friday, alleging misuse of central probe agencies against political opponents. These parties seek pre- and post-arrest guidelines to be followed by the agencies such as the CBI and the ED. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear their plea on April 5.
“Approaching Supreme Court is an attempt to oppose BJP’s dictatorship, misuse of central agencies by the BJP,” Atishi told reporters. “BJP is a washing machine. They file cases against opposition leaders to pressure them and to poach them. Once they join BJP, all cases end. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Suvendu Adhikari joined BJP and the cases against them ended,” she added.
