SC to hear ED plea alleging interference by Mamata Banerjee in I-PAC searches

The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleging obstruction by the West Bengal government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during recent searches at the offices of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC).

According to the apex court’s published cause list, the matter is scheduled to come up on Wednesday before a bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and K V Viswanathan.

The hearing had previously been deferred after senior advocate Kapil Sibal cited ill health and was unable to appear. During a brief session last week, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, informed the court of Sibal’s absence and did not oppose an adjournment. The bench subsequently rescheduled the case for 18 February.

The federal agency has approached the Supreme Court of India seeking directions for the registration of FIRs against Banerjee, the state’s Director General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner. It alleges that its officers were prevented from carrying out lawful duties during simultaneous search operations.

In her counter-affidavit, Banerjee has strongly rejected the allegations, maintaining that her presence at the premises was limited and intended solely to secure confidential data belonging to her party, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).

She stated that on 8 January 2026 she visited the residence of Pratik Jain on Loudon Street and I-PAC’s office in Bidhannagar after learning that sensitive political material linked to the Trinamool was being accessed during the searches. According to the affidavit, the data was closely tied to the party’s preparations for the forthcoming West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.

Banerjee contended that she requested ED officials to allow her to retrieve party-owned devices and printed documents containing proprietary information. She claimed the officers present did not object and permitted her to take certain devices and files before she departed, so as not to disrupt the ongoing process.

Her affidavit further states that the ED’s own search records indicate that proceedings continued peacefully and in an orderly fashion after her departure.

The chief minister has also argued that neither the Trinamool nor its functionaries are accused in the alleged coal scam under investigation, and therefore the ED has no authority over the party’s internal political data.

Additionally, the affidavit accuses the ED of acting with mala fide intent, alleging that the searches were conducted shortly before the 2026 Assembly elections and after a significant period of inactivity in the probe. It questions the timing of the operation, claiming it coincided with I-PAC’s possession of sensitive documents, including a proposed list of electoral candidates.

Banerjee has also alleged procedural lapses under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, asserting that the agency did not produce audio or video recordings of the searches.

Earlier, on 15 January, the Supreme Court stayed FIRs lodged by the West Bengal Police against ED officials in relation to the same searches. The court also directed that CCTV footage and other digital recordings from the premises and surrounding areas be preserved pending further proceedings.

With IANS input