The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and others in connection with Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on political consultancy firm I-PAC in Kolkata.
The court also stayed further proceedings in FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police against ED officials.
Key Observations by SC
- A bench of Justices P K Mishra and Vipul M Pancholi said the petition raises a “serious issue” about whether investigative agencies can be obstructed under the shield of party activity.
- The court stressed that adherence to the rule of law requires each organ to function independently, warning that failure to resolve such issues could lead to “lawlessness” across states.
- It directed that CCTV footage and other devices containing recordings of the search operations be preserved.
- Justice Mishra noted, “If they were armed with an authorisation, they were acting in good faith.”
Background of the Case
- On January 8, the ED conducted searches at multiple I-PAC locations linked to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) poll campaign, probing alleged coal smuggling and money laundering.
- During the raids, Mamata Banerjee visited the residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain and walked out with a laptop and files. She also collected documents from I-PAC’s office.
- The Calcutta High Court later disposed of TMC’s petition seeking protection of “confidential political data” after the ED clarified it had not seized any material.
Court’s Concern
The bench expressed displeasure over the chaos at the Calcutta High Court on January 14, which forced adjournment. Justice Mishra remarked, “We are very much disturbed… Today it is this HC, tomorrow it may be some other HC.”
