“Aimed at creating political unrest…,” Opposition tears into Centre on extension to ED Director

New Delhi [India]: The Opposition has lashed out over the Central government’s extension of tenure to Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra stating that it was done with the aim of targeting leaders of the INDIA bloc and thus weaken the newly formed alliance.

“This extension has been given to create political unrest in some states. The agency is getting misused by the Centre,” Rashtriya Janta Dal MP Manoj Jha said.

Supreme Court on Thursday extended ED Director Mishra’s tenure till September 15 this year.

“Even after the Supreme Court said that the extension of tenure of this person (SK Mishra) is illegal, a delegation of the Central government went to the same court and appealed for an extension of one and half months for ‘fictitious reasons’. This is to create political unrest in some states, of which the recent example is Maharashtra,” Jha said.

The RJD senior leader alleged that the Central government was misusing the ED in non-BJP-ruled states.

“In the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Delhi, it is being said that this man (Mishra) has promised the top leaders in the Central government that he will deliver,” Jha said.

Addressing reporters outside Parliament MP and Congress party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Pramod Tiwari said that the ED has made desperate attempts to destabilise the governments in Bihar, Bengal and Jharkhand.

“Sanjay Mishra (ED Director) has been given an extension of another 1.5 months. What is going to happen in these 1.5 months? They have made desperate attempts to destabilise the government in Bihar, Bengal and Jharkhand,” Pramod Tiwari said.

All India Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev said, “Bihar, Bengal and Jharkhand have been targeted by the BJP and ED with the purpose of destabilising the (state) governments and weakening the INDIA alliance.”

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the apex court said that no further applications seeking extension of the ED director’s tenure would be entertained. A bench of justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol passed the order while hearing the Centre’s application.

The Centre on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to extend the tenure of Mishra till October 15, in view of the ongoing Financial Action Task Force (FATF) review.