SC refuses to entertain plea of 14 Opposition parties alleging misuse of Central probe agencies

A Bench comprising Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and Justice J. B. Pardiwala said that “laying down general guidelines [for Central enforcement agencies] without having relation to facts of a case will be dangerous”.

The Supreme Court on April 5 refused to entertain a plea by 14 parties, led by the Congress, alleging arbitrary use of Central probe agencies against opposition leaders and seeking guidelines for the future.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and Justice J. B. Pardiwala said that “laying down general guidelines without having relation to facts of a case will be dangerous”.

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.

“Learned counsel seeks permission to withdraw the plea at this stage. The petition is accordingly dismissed as withdrawn,” the Bench ordered.

“You please come back to us when you have an individual criminal case or group of cases,” the Bench said.

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.

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.