Karnataka High Court halts ED's summons of lawyer Anil Gowda in betting case, pending Supreme Court guidance on PMLA powers.

The Karnataka High Court has stayed the Enforcement Directorate's summons of advocate Anil Gowda in a money laundering case tied to alleged illegal betting and gaming activities involving Congress MLA KC Veerendra. The court barred the ED from taking coercive actions against Gowda until the Supreme Court clarifies the limits of its powers to summon practicing lawyers under the PMLA. Gowda's petition claims the proceedings are politically motivated to suppress opposition voices, while the ED argues he is being summoned not as a lawyer but for alleged involvement in the case. The court emphasized that such summonses require clear legal guidelines before proceeding.