New Delhi, 15 January. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee got a big blow on the controversy arising from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on the office of political consulting firm I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee) and the residence of its director Prateek Jain recently, when on Thursday, the Supreme Court, while hearing the case, issued a notice to the Bengal government and stayed the FIR against the ED officials, who had gone to I-PAC to investigate.
the apex court Also put a stay on FIR against ED officers
The Supreme Court has issued notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other officials of the state administration, including the DGP, Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, on the ED’s petition. The ED has alleged that the Chief Minister and state officials forcefully interfered and obstructed its investigation at the I-PAC premises.
Instructions to file counter affidavit within two weeks
The bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi said, ‘Issue notice to the defendants. Counter affidavit should be filed within two weeks. The next hearing of the case will be on February 3, 2026. In the meantime, it is directed that the respondent (Government of West Bengal) keep safe the CCTV cameras installed in the I-PACK and other cameras having footage of the surrounding areas.
The next hearing of the case will be on February 3.
ED’s plea in the Supreme Court comes after the events of January 8, when the agency had conducted searches at the premises of I-PAC and Jain in Kolkata as part of a money laundering probe into the alleged multi-crore coal theft scam. During the search operation, CM Mamata Banerjee along with senior TMC leaders reached the I-PAC office, confronted ED officials and allegedly took away documents from the premises.
At the same time, Chief Minister Mamata has accused the central agency of exceeding its limits. West Bengal Police has also registered an FIR against the officials of the investigating agency. TMC has denied ED’s allegation of obstruction. It has further alleged that the purpose of the ED action against the party’s election consultant I-PAC was to access confidential election strategy material.
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