Kochi: The state government informed the High Court that the Enforcement Directorate’s petition questioning the judicial probe against central agencies over gold smuggling case will not exist.
The ED is only a department under the central government. The state can initiate an investigation against the department, the government made it clear in the high court. The state government declared their stance when the court was considering the plea filed by the ED.
The government also argued that it was a wrong move to add the chief minister as party in the case. Meanwhile, the ED pointed out that a parallel probe into the gold smuggling case is not right. As per the Commission of Inquiry Act, the states have no right to initiate judicial probe against central agencies, the ED informed. Solicitor General Thushar Mehta appeared for ED in the court.
The government is trying to stop the investigation into the gold smuggling case. If the state government has any complaints against the central agency, they can approach the court. Earlier, the court had stayed the Crime branch probe against the ED, the ED pointed out in the court.
Earlier, the ED had moved high court against the judicial commission that was appointed by the government to probe into the gold smuggling case. The ED argued in the court that the commission was trying to sabotage the case and it was appointed illegally.
The state government appointed Justice V K Mohanan as the judicial commission to examine the illegal interventions made into the probe by central investigation agencies. The ED moved the high court seeking a stay on this action.
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