Supreme Court issues notices to West Bengal authorities over ED raid allegations

PTI, NEW DELHI, JAN 15, 2026: The Supreme Court on Thursday described the Enforcement Directorate’s allegation that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee caused “obstruction” in its probe as “very serious” and agreed to examine whether a state’s law-enforcing agencies can interfere with any Central agency’s investigation into any serious offence.

The apex court stayed the FIR filed in West Bengal against ED officials who raided the I-PAC office and the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, on January 8, and directed the state police to protect the CCTV footage of the raids.

A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi issued notices to the Chief Minister, the West Bengal government, DGP Rajeev Kumar and top cops on the ED’s petitions seeking a CBI probe against them for allegedly obstructing raids at I-PAC premises.

“According to us, adherence to the rule of law in the country and to allow each organ to function independently, it is necessary to examine the issue so that the offenders are not allowed to be protected under the shield of law-enforcing agencies of a particular state.

“Larger questions are involved and have been raised, which, if allowed to remain undecided, would further worsen the situation, and there will be a situation of lawlessness prevailing in one or the other state, considering that different outfits are governing different places,” the bench said.

The apex court said a Central agency has no power to interfere with the election work of any party. But at the same time, if Central agencies are acting bona fide to investigate any serious offence, the question arises whether agencies can be restricted from carrying out duties under the shield of party activity, it said.

The matter is posted for further hearing on February 3.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court said that it was very much disturbed by the commotion at the Calcutta High Court during its hearing in the ED raids case.

The Calcutta High Court had adjourned till January 14 the hearing on petitions related to the ED’s search and seizure operations at sites linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC, citing unmanageable chaos inside the courtroom.

As the hearing commenced, the ED said the West Bengal government’s “interference and obstruction” during the probe agency’s raids reflects a very shocking pattern.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, told the bench that in the past also, whenever statutory authorities exercised statutory power, Mamata barged in and interfered.

“It reflects a very shocking pattern,” Mehta said while contending that this will only encourage such acts, and the Central forces will be demoralised.