Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 15: The Supreme Court on Thursday will hear a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleging that its search operation at the I-PAC office in Kolkata was obstructed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

A bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul M Pancholi is scheduled to take up the matter. The West Bengal government has also filed a caveat in the apex court, requesting that no order be passed without hearing the state.

In its petition, the ED has sought directions for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged interference by the state executive during the search. The agency claimed that the chief minister’s presence at the site and her confrontational conduct had an intimidating effect on ED officers and disrupted the lawful discharge of their duties.

The plea has been filed against the State of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, and South Kolkata Deputy Commissioner Priyabatra Roy.

In a related development, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday closed a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had sought protection of sensitive political data that the ED allegedly seized from the office of I-PAC.

Appearing for the ED, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju told the high court that the agency did not seize any documents or electronic devices from the office or residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain. He further alleged that it was Mamata Banerjee who entered the search premises and took away documents and electronic evidence.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal Police has registered an FIR against ED officials in connection with the January 8 raids at the I-PAC office, further escalating the standoff between the central agency and the state government.