Last Updated:
The apex court asked authorities to preserve CCTV footage of the raids and also observed that there would be lawlessness if court does not intervene in the matter.
File image of the Supreme Court | File Image.
The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed proceedings against officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the raids at the offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC.
A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi also asked authorities to preserve CCTV footage of events that happened during the raids. The bench also observed that there would be lawlessness if the top court did not intervene in the matter.
The central agency moved to the top court after ED officials faced obstructions during the probe agency’s raids at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC in Salt Lake and the residence of its chief, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata in connection with a coal smuggling case on January 8. The agency has claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee entered the premises and took away “key” evidence related to the probe.
On the other hand, CM Banerjee has accused the ED of “overreach”, while her party, Trinamool Congress, has denied the ED’s allegation of “obstructing” its probe. The state’s police have registered an FIR against ED officers.
The raids at the I-PAC came months ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has won three consecutive assembly polls in the state since 2011.
January 15, 2026, 14:43 IST
Read More
Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: