Mamata Banerjee government has also received a setback from the Supreme Court in the I-PAC raid case. The Supreme Court has clearly said that the FIR registered against ED officers will remain suspended till the next hearing. The Supreme Court directed that the investigation should be conducted without any pressure. The court also directed to preserve the CCTV footage of the places searched on January 8. The Supreme Court said that serious issues have been raised in the petition regarding alleged interference by the state. The Supreme Court issued notice on petitions filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and the ED, alleging interference during ED raids at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the house of its founder Prateek Jain.
The bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi also asked Mamata Banerjee and the Director General of Police (DGP) to respond to the petition demanding a CBI inquiry. The court said that serious questions have been raised in the petitions filed by ED. Before going to the Supreme Court, the ED had on January 9 moved the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe against Banerjee. But the hearing could not take place due to the uproar in the High Court.
What argument did ED give in the Supreme Court?
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, told the bench, “This incident shows a very shocking pattern. This will only encourage such activities, and demoralize the central forces. State governments will feel that they can enter, steal, and then stage a sit-in. An example should be set; the officers present there should be immediately suspended. There was evidence from which it was concluded that incriminating material was lying in the I-PAC office. During the hearing of our petition, a large number of lawyers and others entered the Calcutta High Court; this is what happens when democracy is replaced by mobocracy.”
Has the High Court been converted into Jantar Mantar?
Arguing on behalf of ED, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that on January 9, mob violence had also taken place in the Calcutta High Court. A crowd of lawyers having no connection with the case gathered in the High Court, forcing the judge to adjourn the hearing. The bench of Justices Prashant Mishra and Vipul Pancholi asked whether the High Court has been converted into Jantar Mantar. Solicitor General Mehta said that the chaos was caused by WhatsApp messages sent to lawyers asking them to reach the court at a specific time.
Supreme Court issues notice on Sibal’s argument
Kapil Sibal, representing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said the allegation that the Chief Minister took away all the equipment is false. This is proved by his own Panchnama. Its purpose is only to create prejudice. Information has been given to the court through Panchnama. To this, Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra said, “Your claim is contradictory. If they (ED) had the intention to seize, they would have done so, but nothing like this has happened. We have to investigate. You cannot stop us from issuing the notice,” Justice Mishra said.