Supreme Court to Hear ED Plea Alleging Obstruction by Mamata Banerjee During I-PAC Raid

The ED has challenged the alleged interference during searches carried out on January 8 at the residence and office of Pratik Jain, the IT head of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a director at I-PAC. The agency claims that Banerjee arrived at the premises while the search was underway and forcibly took away certain documents and electronic records.

In its plea, the ED has accused the Chief Minister and senior state police officials of preventing officers from carrying out lawful searches. The agency has alleged that crucial evidence linked to the illegal coal mining case was removed, seized material was tampered with, and ED officials were threatened at the site. The petition seeks directions for the recovery, seizure and sealing of all documents, storage devices and electronic records allegedly taken during the raid.

The matter comes a day after the Calcutta High Court declined to grant relief to the TMC in a related petition. The party had accused the ED of unlawfully seizing party documents, a charge the agency denied on record.

According to the ED, its petition lists 17 alleged offences, including dacoity, robbery and theft, apart from obstruction of public servants, destruction of evidence and criminal intimidation. The agency has also sought a transfer of FIRs registered against ED officials in the state to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging that these cases were filed to derail the probe and intimidate investigators.

The ED has further claimed that its attempt to seek relief from the Calcutta High Court was frustrated due to disruptions in court proceedings, which it alleges were orchestrated by ruling party supporters. The agency has urged the Supreme Court to intervene to ensure an independent and impartial investigation and to uphold the rule of law.

The West Bengal government, meanwhile, has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court, requesting that no order be passed without hearing its side. A bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul M. Pancholi is scheduled to hear the matter.

The controversy escalated after Banerjee publicly addressed the media on January 8, holding documents she said belonged to her party. A day later, she led a protest march in Kolkata against the ED raids, alleging political vendetta and claiming to possess evidence linking senior BJP leaders to the coal scam.

The Supreme Court’s hearing is expected to have significant legal and political implications, particularly on the conduct of central agencies and the limits of executive authority during criminal investigations.