- ED moves Supreme Court after Calcutta High Court hearing delay
- I-PAC case allegations against West Bengal government raised
Hyderabad: ED moves Supreme Court in the I-PAC case after proceedings in the Calcutta High Court were postponed. The Enforcement Directorate filed its petition against I-PAC, a political strategy planning agency of the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The central agency alleged obstruction in its investigation related to the I-PAC coal scam case.
According to the Enforcement Directorate, the petition was filed after the hearing in the Calcutta High Court did not take place as scheduled. Therefore, the ED approached the Supreme Court seeking intervention. The agency claimed that the West Bengal government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee obstructed the investigation. It stated that officials prevented it from conducting lawful searches and seizing materials linked to the case.
Meanwhile, the ED detailed developments that allegedly took place on January 8. It alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee forcibly took away physical documents and electronic devices. The agency said this happened in the presence of senior state officials. According to the ED, such actions directly interfered with the investigation process. Therefore, it argued that the conduct amounted to obstruction of justice and weakened the integrity of the probe.
The ED also alleged that state officials, including police personnel, interfered with its work. It said this interference restricted lawful action by central investigators. As a result, the agency claimed that its ability to carry out searches and seizures faced serious hurdles. The petition placed these allegations before the Supreme Court for consideration.
On the other hand, the West Bengal government took a parallel legal step. Anticipating the ED’s move, it filed a caveat in the Supreme Court. The state government requested that the court should not pass any orders without hearing its arguments. It also urged the court not to grant any relief to the ED until the government presented its case.
Meanwhile, the filing of petitions by both sides has set the stage for a legal confrontation in the Supreme Court. The ED maintained that judicial intervention was necessary to protect the investigation. At the same time, the West Bengal government signaled its intent to contest the allegations strongly. The matter now awaits consideration by the Supreme Court, which will hear arguments from both parties before deciding on further action.
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