Supreme Court Hears ED Plea Against Mamata Banerjee

The Supreme Court of India adjourned until March 18 a hearing regarding a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleging that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state officials obstructed federal search operations on January 8, 2026. The ED claims Banerjee illegally entered the Kolkata office of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of director Pratik Jain to forcibly remove electronic devices and documents. These actions allegedly occurred during a money-laundering probe into a ₹2,742-crore coal-pilferage scam.

The ED is seeking the registration of FIRs against Banerjee, the state Director General of Police, and the Kolkata Police Commissioner, while requesting a Central Bureau of Investigation probe. The agency rejected claims that it has been weaponised by the central government, asserting instead that the agency is being terrorised by the state administration. The ED further characterized state claims that they were investigating impersonators as a mere camouflage.

In a counter-affidavit, Banerjee denied the allegations of obstruction, stating she only retrieved proprietary data belonging to the All India Trinamool Congress to protect election strategies for upcoming Assembly polls. Her legal team challenged the maintainability of the petition, accusing the ED of forum shopping. On January 15, the Supreme Court stayed FIRs filed by the West Bengal Police against ED officials and ordered the preservation of CCTV footage from the raid sites.