Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday gave an interim stay on summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi and Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh in connection with the Muda case.
Hearing on the petitions filed by Parvathi and Suresh seeking quashing of summons, the bench headed by Justice M Nagaprasanna stayed the summons while adjourning the next hearing to February 10.
Representing the minister, Senior Advocate C V Nagesh said the ED has issued summons to his client even though he has not at all connected to the case. Further, he said, the summons has come at a time when the minister’s son's marriage is fixed. "The ED action will create a problem for my client. Moreover, the High Court has quashed the summons issued to Muda MD Natesh in the same case. Therefore, the summons issued to the minister should also be cancelled," he argued.
Arguing for Siddaramaiah's wife, advocate Sandesh Chowta said his client has already returned the alternative sites allotted to her by Muda. But still, the ED has issued the summons to her which is illegal. It should be quashed, he said.
Objecting to the arguments, Additional Solicitor General Kamat said under Section 50(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, ED can issue summons to anyone to collect evidence and documents. "There is no rule that summons should be issued only to the accused," he said.
Following this, the court said the summons issued are to be stayed as it will frustrate the proceedings pending before this court and posted the next hearing on February 10.