MS Shanker : 

The Opposition in the country seems to be rattled by the aggressive drives of the central agencies to bring to book all those who indulged in corruption.  They may cry foul stating why these agencies are not putting those same accused people any sooner they join the ruling BJP party and play the victim card. 

Well, their allegations or claims to sox extent may be genuine, yet but can two wrongs become right?  If they are not guilty, why fear and play ‘victim card?’ Is the judiciary not there protecting the honest?

BJP claims that all those guilty, including those who joined their party ranks, will not be let off-the hook.   And agencies have not dropped cases against them and the investigations against those the Opposition is being name.

Yet, the Opposition continues to blame the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Income Tax (IT) is being misused by the Modi government against their rivals. As the heat has turned the Opposition, it is becoming restless. Most of them belong to the well-established dynasts like the ‘Vadra’ Congress ‘Gandhis’ and Chidambarams, the Mulayams, Mamatas, Mayawati's, Abdullahs, Pawars, Gowdas, Badals, and Kalvakuntlas, besides DMK’s Stalins. Almost all are facing criminal cases in either money laundering or related crimes and on bail.

Of all the institutions, the ED appears at the forefront in the fight against corruption.  And, one official who is working rigorously to take those guilty of graft cases to logical conclusion is none other than the ED chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra.  Although, his tenure was over in November 2020, the Modi government is determined to retain him by giving him extension after extension. Now, his term is set to end in November 2023, and the rattled Opposition has moved the Supreme Court against this upright official.  SC said the Govt has the power to extend the ED Director's tenure from 2-3 years, but only in rare to rarest cases his tenure won't be extended beyond November 2021. But, Modi govt through an Ordinance has extended by another two years. The  next hearing in the Supreme Court is September 12.

Some of Mishra’s accomplishments ever since he took over the reins as ED way back in 2018 are mind-boggling. He demolished the rogue NGOs network of so-called international reputation and Left the ecosystem across the country/

An IRS officer of 1984 batch, who spent most of the time in the Income Tax Department with utmost sincerity, is considered to be one of the sharpest brains, besides hard-working. Many say he built the institution (that’s ED) ever since he took over making it vibrant by taking senior officers' strength from 23 to 100 within no time. He began his task first by booking Chidambaram's – father and son – besides ICICI chief Chanda Kochar and pushed them behind bars. 
Chidambaram's now on bail.

Some of the major cases he had taken up so far are; (i) INX Media case - Karti and P Chidambaram, (ii) Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank case - Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, (iii) Money laundering case - DK Shivkumar, (iv) J&K Cricket association case - Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, (v) National Herald Case - Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, (vi) VVIP Chopper scam - Ratul Puri (Kamal Nath kin), (vii) Panchkula land allotment case - Bhupinder Hooda, (viii) Asset, Disproportionate - Anand Kumar (Mayawati kin), (ix) Illegal Mining case - "Akhilesh Yadav, (x) Land deal case - Robert Vadra, (xi) Aircel Maxis deal - Raja, Kanimozhi, Dayanidhi Maran, (xii) Money laundering - Sanjay Raut, (xiii) Sterling Biotech case - Sons of Ahmed Pate, (xiv) Land scam - Jagan Reddy, (xv) Ambulance case - Ashok Gehlot, (xvi) Saradha Chit Fund - Mamata Banerjee, (xvii) Money laundering - Satender Jain, (xviii) Delhi Liquor Scam - Manish Sisodia

Besides, the ED is also closing in on Venugopal Dhoot (Videocon), Malvinder Singh (Religare), Sanjay Chandra (Unitech), Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksey, and many more. And the NGO under the ED net is Amnesty International.  

Many who wish the Modi government to keep their fingers crossed and pray the apex court sees some logic in the Mishra case, unlike in the past when it stalled TN Seshan, one of the most respected and adored Chief Election Commissioners, from going ahead with cleaning up the electoral process. The judiciary should not forget that a democratically elected government enjoys its Constitutional mandate and hence should encourage it to function decisively if it is determined to root out the ills that destroying the nation.