“SC Stays FIR Against ED Officials in I-PAC Raids, Cites Need to Prevent Lawlessness”

New Delhi: In a major setback for the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed proceedings against Enforcement Directorate officials linked to raids at the offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC. The top court also directed authorities to preserve CCTV footage of the raids, emphasizing the need for intervention to prevent potential lawlessness.
The ED had faced obstructions during its operations on January 8 at I-PAC’s Salt Lake office and at the residence of its chief, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata, in connection with a coal smuggling case. The agency claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allegedly entered the premises and removed “key” evidence critical to the investigation.
Mamata Banerjee, however, accused the ED of overreach, and the Trinamool Congress denied any obstruction of the probe. Following the raids, the state police registered an FIR against ED officials, escalating tensions between the state administration and the central agency.
Senior lawyer Abhishek Singhvi, representing the West Bengal government, opposed the stay of proceedings. The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for February 3.
The ED has alleged repeated interference and non-cooperation by the state authorities, requesting that the Central Bureau of Investigation conduct an independent inquiry. The agency argued that a neutral central body is necessary to ensure impartial investigation given the involvement of the state executive.
Prior to approaching the Supreme Court, the ED had sought a CBI probe from the Calcutta High Court, alleging that documents were removed from Jain’s residence during the raid with assistance from state officials. The High Court adjourned its hearing on the matter and disposed of the TMC’s petition for protection of its data, noting that no material had been seized during the raids.
The raids and subsequent legal developments come months ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, where the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has historically maintained a strong electoral record, winning three consecutive terms since 2011. The case underscores growing tensions between state and central authorities in the politically sensitive period leading up to the polls.