New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told the Supreme Court that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s alleged attempt to protect those linked to an illegal coal trade racket was “shameful,” and sought a CBI investigation into the episode.
The ED said it had conducted searches in January at premises linked to I-PAC, an election strategy firm in Kolkata, as part of a coal-related money laundering probe. During the operation, Banerjee allegedly arrived at the residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain with police presence and took away key documents, leaving the raiding team shocked.
Following this, the ED moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged interference by the Chief Minister and state officials. The matter was heard by a bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and N.V. Anjaria, which earlier expressed displeasure and said political intervention in such searches could endanger democracy.
On the second day of hearing, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for the West Bengal government, argued that the ED’s petition should not be entertained and alleged the court was being approached for political gain.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, arguing for the ED, said the state had tried to obstruct the search and that the rule of law had been breached. He alleged the fundamental rights of ED officers were curtailed, cited past instances of central agency officers being detained by local police, and said multiple complaints had been filed—two by the Chief Minister—while cases were registered against ED officers. In such circumstances, he argued, a CBI probe was necessary to uncover any attempt to conceal an offence.
