ED raids on I-PAC | Probe agency was terrorised during search operations in Kolkata, Supreme Court told

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday claimed before the Supreme Court that the central agency has been “terrorised” during its search operations at the I-PAC office in Kolkata in view of obstructions by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and others.

A bench Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and K V Viswanathan adjourned to March 18 the hearing on a plea moved by the ED seeking CBI probe against Banerjee and others.

The search operation was carried out at the I-PAC office and the premises of its director in connection with an alleged coal pilferage scam.

The bench deferred the hearing after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended that a rejoinder would be filed during the day.

During the brief hearing, senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the respondents submitted that the agency must justify its "weaponisation".

“They will have to justify how an agency can be weaponised like this,” he said.

To this, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju for the ED responded, “No, agency is not weaponised, it has been terrorised”.

In January, the court had said Banerjee's alleged "obstruction" in ED's probe is "very serious" and agreed to examine if a state's law-enforcing agencies can interfere with any central agency's probe into any serious offence.

It also stayed the FIRs lodged against the agency's officials who raided political consultancy I-PAC on January 8.

The bench was dealing with the petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate under Article 32, against CM Banerjee and certain state police officers.

In a writ petition, the ED sought a CBI probe against the CM, Director General of Police, and the Kolkata police commissioner, claiming that they have obstructed a lawful money laundering probe, forcibly snatching digital devices and documents, and wrongfully confining ED officers during search operations.