The Supreme Court of India delivered a major setback to the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Thursday by pausing the FIRs registered against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers. These FIRs were linked to raids and searches conducted against the political consultancy firm I-PAC, which has been involved in state-level election campaigns.
A bench comprising Justice Prashant Mishra and Justice Vipul Pancholi directed the West Bengal government and Kolkata Police to respond to a series of petitions, including those filed by the central agency seeking action against the state’s top police officials. The petitions requested the suspension of Bengal’s Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma in connection with the ED’s operations.
The Supreme Court also sought replies from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Personnel & Training, Mamata Banerjee herself, and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government regarding the central agency’s claims. The bench emphasized the need to maintain the rule of law and ordered the pause on FIRs against ED officers to prevent misuse of power.
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Additionally, the court has asked for responses to a plea for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter, reflecting the gravity of allegations and the need for independent scrutiny of the actions taken during the raids. Legal experts noted that this step reinforces the principle that law enforcement agencies must operate within their mandate.
The Supreme Court’s order has been widely interpreted as a warning against arbitrary action by state authorities against central agencies. It highlights the tensions between state governments and federal investigative bodies, especially in politically sensitive cases.
The development comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of state and central agency interactions in high-profile investigations, and it is expected to shape the course of further legal and administrative proceedings in West Bengal.
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