Sibal tells Supreme Court Mamata visited I-PAC premises in party capacity, not as Chief Minister

PTI, NEW DELHI, JAN 15, 2026: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s counsel, Kapil Sibal, told the Supreme Court on Thursday that she went to the I-PAC premises on January 8 after receiving information that certain unauthorised persons had entered into the office of Pratik Jain, who had been entrusted with TMC’s election work.

Clarifying that the Chief Minister did not go to the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) premises as Chief Minister, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for her, told a bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo went there as chairman of the party.

“I-PAC takes care of elections in West Bengal. A formal contract was entered into by the party with I-PAC in 2021. We assume ED (Enforcement Directorate) knows about it. There is a series of data kept with I-PAC,” Sibal said.

He continued, saying that when the ED went there, they knew a lot of data of the party would be there.

“Why was the need to go there in the midst of an election? The last statement in the coal scam was recorded on February 24, 2024. What were they doing since then? Why so keen in the midst of elections? If you get hold of the information, how will we fight the elections?” he said.

The TMC chairman had the right to go, Sibal asserted.

“Why should ED go to a part of the party office which has all the information,” he submitted.

Questioning the maintainability of the ED’s plea, Sibal said this matter should be heard by the Calcutta High Court.