New Delhi, July 22 -- The Supreme Court on Monday warned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) about being used as a political tool and likening the trend to a "virus" that must not spread across the country. Dismissing the agency's appeal against the quashing of proceedings in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment case involving Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi, the court said "enough is enough" and cautioned the agency to steer clear of political battles. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and justice KV Chandran questioned ED's motives in pursuing the case. "Let political battles be fought before the electorate. Why are you being used?" the bench asked additional solicitor general SV Raju, who appeared for ED. The CJI further remarked: "Unfortunately, I have some experience in Maharashtra. you don't perpetuate this virus across the country now. Let political battles be fought elsewhere and not in courts." It wasn't immediately clear which investigation of ED pertaining to Maharashtra he was referring to. The bench dismissed ED's appeal on the spot. "You better not argue this at all," the bench told Raju. The court's strictures came in response to ED's challenge to the March 7 ruling of the Karnataka high court, which quashed the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and the summons issued by the agency to Parvathi and Minister Byrathi Suresh in connection with alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 residential sites by MUDA. The MUDA land allotment controversy stems from allegations that BM Parvathi received 14 developed plots of land in a high-value Mysuru locality as compensation for land she claimed was acquired by MUDA. According to the original complaint, Parvathi's brother gifted her a parcel of land that was allegedly part of an illegal private layout later acquired by MUDA, and upon her complaint regarding compensation, MUDA granted her 14 alternative plots, valued significantly higher than the land supposedly acquired. The value of the plots was estimated at around Rs.56 crore. A first information report (FIR) was filed on September 27, 2024, by the Karnataka Lokayukta Police on the directions of the Special Court dealing with criminal cases against MPs and MLAs. Subsequently, ED took cognisance of the Lokayukta's FIR and registered an ECIR on September 30, 2024, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The agency summoned Parvathi and Byrathi Suresh for questioning in January this year. ED, in its provisional attachment order dated January 17 following an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, alleged that Siddaramaiah and other accused were involved in attempted money laundering in the MUDA site allotment case. "Illegal compensation in the form of sites at posh locality worth Rs.56 crore (appx) was obtained through political influence..."it said. However, the Lokayukta Police later gave a clean chit to Parvathi, Siddaramaiah, and two others, citing lack of evidence to sustain the allegations. Despite this, ED pressed ahead with its probe, issuing provisional attachment orders and alleging that political influence was used to secure the plots illegally. On January 27, the Karnataka High Court stayed the ED's summons to Parvathi and Suresh. Later, in a final ruling delivered on March 7, the court quashed the ECIR and associated summons altogether....