Supreme Court to Hear ED's Petition Against Mamata Banerjee in I-PAC Raid Case
Supreme Court Hearing on ED's Allegations Against Mamata Banerjee
Today, the Supreme Court will conduct a hearing regarding the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) petition against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in connection with the I-PAC raid case. The ED has accused Banerjee of interfering during the raid, prompting the agency to seek legal recourse. The petition names Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the state's Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar, requesting the registration of an FIR against them. According to the ED, Banerjee was present at the raid site and allegedly took away crucial documents and electronic devices.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, highlighted a disturbing trend in West Bengal, where the Chief Minister and senior police officials allegedly entered the premises during search operations and seized vital evidence related to a coal smuggling scandal.
ED's Claims of Interference and Request for CBI Investigation
In its petition, the ED asserted that the presence of the Chief Minister at the search site and the alleged removal of documents significantly impacted the officials' ability to perform their duties independently. The agency accused the state administration of repeatedly obstructing and failing to cooperate, urging for a directive for an independent CBI investigation. The ED argued that a neutral central agency is necessary given the interference from the state government.
Before approaching the Supreme Court, the ED had sought the Calcutta High Court's intervention on January 9, requesting a CBI investigation against Banerjee. The agency alleged that during a raid at Jain's residence, Banerjee, with police assistance, removed incriminating documents from the agency's possession. The High Court postponed the hearing on the ED's petition on Wednesday, while also dismissing a plea filed by the Trinamool Congress regarding the protection of its data, stating that the ED had informed the court that nothing was seized during the raid at Jain's office and home.