NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the Supreme Court gave a “jolt” to the opposition parties after
rejecting their plea on the alleged “misuse’ of central probe agencies like CBI and ED.
“A few days ago some political parties went to the court seeking protection that no one should seek to inquire our books filled with corruption. They went to court, but court gave them a jolt,” PM Modi said
after inaugurating several projects in Hyderabad.He was talking about corruption and “parivarvad” at the public meeting.
As many as 14 political parties led by the Congress filed a petition in the apex court alleging that there has been an alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent.
However, the Supreme Court, refusing to entertain the plea, observed that politicians do not have “higher immunity”.
It said that politicians cannot be placed on a pedestal higher than citizens and can’t seek special treatment under law and immunity from arrest.
On April 5, a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala expressed disinclination to entertain the petition, saying courts are always there for taking up the grievances of political leaders as they do for common citizens.