KOCHI: The Cooperative Registrar approached the High Court against the ED summons seeking personal information of even family members in the Karuvannur fraud investigation. Justice PV Kunhikrishnan, who stayed the further proceedings in the summons, directed that the notice should be issued only as per the rules. The court asked why such a summons was issued to a high official.

The Additional Solicitor General, who appeared for the ED, said that the summons issued by the agency was already printed and that it would take no further action in this. The ED summons had sought to produce copies of passport, Aadhaar, PAN and other details of family members of the Cooperative Registrar.

ED also urged to cooperate with the investigation. The Advocate General, who said that there was no objection in cooperating with the investigation, added that the agency cannot seek information related to the cooperative sector in the entire state.

ED's action comes after the crime branch registered 19 cases in the Karuvannur scam. According to the petition of the registrar, he was directed to produce circulars issued by the registrar since 2010, a list of societies, balance sheets of various banks etc.