New Delhi witnessed a significant development in the ongoing tussle between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday. The Supreme Court postponed the hearing on ED’s petition accusing Banerjee and top state officials of obstructing raids at I-PAC offices to March 18.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, assured the bench that the agency would file its response today itself. The petition stems from alleged interference during ED’s searches at the Kolkata-based I-PAC offices, which are linked to Trinamool Congress election strategies.
ED has named Mamata Banerjee, DGP Rajeev Kumar, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar as respondents, demanding FIRs against them for hindering the probe into financial irregularities.
In a counter-affidavit, Banerjee accused ED officials of seizing sensitive party data under the guise of searches. She claimed the action was illegal and an assault on democratic processes. Banerjee explained her presence at the site was solely to protect confidential election strategy documents from misuse, denying any obstruction to the raid.
The court noted the submissions and scheduled the next hearing for March 18, when detailed arguments from all sides will be heard. This case has sparked intense debate over the balance between central probe agencies and state autonomy, with political implications running deep ahead of key elections.
As the apex court prepares to delve deeper, stakeholders across the spectrum await a verdict that could redefine investigative boundaries in politically charged scenarios. The coming weeks promise heightened scrutiny on this high-stakes legal battle.