The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) accusing Mamata Banerjee and senior West Bengal police officials of obstructing search operations at the Kolkata office of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC). The ED alleges interference during a probe into a money laundering case linked to a coal smuggling scam. The matter was deferred earlier but is now scheduled for a hearing on Friday.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, requested an expedited hearing, highlighting the readiness of the agency to present arguments. The ED seeks FIRs against Mamata Banerjee, the former DGP, and the Kolkata Police Commissioner, along with a transfer of the probe to the CBI. The case stems from incidents during searches conducted on January 8.
During a previous hearing, the apex court expressed concerns over the alleged interference by a sitting Chief Minister, emphasizing the potential threat to democracy. The ED claims its officials were obstructed and intimidated during the searches. Mamata Banerjee, in response, denied obstruction allegations, stating her presence was to retrieve party-related data. The Supreme Court had earlier stayed FIRs against ED officials and directed the preservation of digital records from the searched premises.
