The Supreme Court has directed the Allahabad High Court to defer proceedings regarding a plea for CBI and ED probes into Rahul Gandhi's alleged disproportionate assets, halting agency reports until further notice.
- Supreme Court ordered Allahabad HC to defer proceedings in the disproportionate assets plea.
- CBI and ED are barred from submitting reports to the High Court until further orders.
- Senior Counsel Kapil Sibal termed the proceedings a "witch hunt" unknown to law.
New Delhi: In a significant legal victory for the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, the Supreme Court on Monday intervened to pause proceedings in the Allahabad High Court. The apex court has directed the High Court to defer the hearing of a plea seeking investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into Gandhi's alleged disproportionate assets.
A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, presided over the matter. The ruling comes as a challenge to an earlier Allahabad High Court observation from May, which suggested that the court could verify allegations and that central agencies could take permissible legal action based on the petitioner's complaint.
The Legal Battle and Allegations
The legal proceedings were initiated by a complaint filed by S Vignesh Shishir, a resident of Karnataka. Representing Rahul Gandhi, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal launched a scathing attack on the nature of the complaint, describing it as a "witch hunt through a process not recognised by law." Sibal further questioned the locus standi of the petitioner, alleging that Shishir is an RSS worker who habitually files petitions against Gandhi.
BozokMedia analysis shows that this case highlights the recurring tension between political rivalry and the judicial process in India. The Supreme Court's scrutiny of why central agencies require judicial "impetus" to act—despite having statutory powers—points to a broader concern regarding the independence of investigative bodies and the prevention of their use for political vendettas.
"The judiciary acts as the final bulwark against the misuse of state machinery for political persecution."
During the hearing, CBI counsel S V Raju maintained that the agency had only verified the complaint. However, Justice Bagchi questioned the agency's inertia, asking why, if the allegations were indeed serious, the CBI had not acted suo motu using its own statutory powers. The court also expressed concern over how "sealed cover" proceedings were being leaked to the press.
Question 1: What did the Supreme Court specifically order?
The Court ordered the Allahabad HC to defer proceedings and instructed the CBI and ED not to submit any reports until further orders.
Question 2: Who is the complainant in this case?
The complaint was filed by S Vignesh Shishir from Karnataka.
