The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that it may order a CBI probe into the alleged intervention of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at the I-PAC office in January.
A bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice N V Anjaria, however, deferred the matter after the ED sought an opportunity to make further submissions. The case has been listed for further hearing on September 2.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, told the court that both the agency and the new West Bengal government wanted to advance further arguments on the matter.
The ED counsel requested that the court hear the case on its merits before deciding whether to refer it to the CBI.
Mehta also said that no impression should be created that the matter was being handled differently because of the change in the state government.“No impression should be created that the probe was being dealt with in a different manner merely because of a change in the government,” Mehta said.
Following the submission, the bench agreed to list the matter for further hearing.
Court Indicates CBI Referral
During the hearing, Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra indicated that, based on the arguments already made before the court, the matter could proceed towards a CBI investigation.
“Nothing survives further other than referring the matter to the CBI,” Justice Mishra said.
The court, however, did not pass an order referring the matter to the central agency and instead scheduled the next hearing for September 2.
Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for Mamata Banerjee, suggested that the present West Bengal government could investigate the matter itself.
She also informed the court that senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Shyam Divan, who had appeared for the earlier government, were unavailable and requested that the hearing be adjourned.
Case Concerns January I-PAC Raid
The proceedings relate to an ED search operation at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC in January.
During the operation, Mamata Banerjee was alleged to have entered the premises and intervened while the agency was conducting its search.
The ED subsequently sought a CBI probe into the incident.
The matter has been pending before the Supreme Court, with the agency maintaining that its investigation was obstructed.
Supreme Court’s Earlier ‘Democracy’ Remark
The Supreme Court had made strong observations on the matter during an earlier hearing on April 22.
The bench had said that an elected chief minister allegedly obstructing an investigation by a central agency could not simply be treated as a dispute between the Centre and the state.
The court had observed:“Democracy was in peril.”
The observation came while the bench was considering allegations concerning Banerjee’s alleged intervention in the ED operation.
With the matter now listed for September 2, the ED and the West Bengal government are expected to make further submissions before the Supreme Court.
The court will subsequently consider the arguments before deciding whether the matter should be referred to the CBI.
