TNI Bureau: Supreme Court Stays FIRs Against ED Officers, Seeks Responses from Centre and West Bengal Govt

The Supreme Court today stayed the FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, delivering a setback to the Mamata Banerjee-led state government amid an escalating standoff between the state and the central agency.

A bench of Justices Prashant Mishra and Vipul Pancholi issued notices to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Personnel and Training, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress government on the ED’s plea seeking the suspension of West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma and other officials. The court also sought responses on the ED’s request for a CBI probe into the matter.

The dispute arose from ED searches at premises linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC, which manages election campaigns for the TMC, in connection with a corruption case. The ED has alleged obstruction and interference by the state government and police during its operations.

Observing that the petition raised serious concerns, the Supreme Court said that if central agencies are carrying out bona fide investigations into serious offences, they cannot be obstructed by political or state actions. The bench noted that unresolved issues could lead to “lawlessness” and listed the matter for further hearing on February 3.

Earlier, the court expressed strong concern over the chaos witnessed in the Calcutta High Court during a January 9 hearing related to the case. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, termed the incident “mobocracy” and alleged that evidence was removed from the residence of I-PAC co-founder Pratik Jain.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Chief Minister Banerjee, questioned the timing of the ED’s actions ahead of Assembly elections, while Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the state and the DGP, urged the court not to view the incident as a recurring pattern. The bench cautioned that emotions must not repeatedly get out of control.