ED vs TMC: Supreme Court steps in over I-PAC raid row
Top court questions mass mobilisation during probe as ED presents digital evidence
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 16th Jan: The Supreme Court on Thursday heard a high-stakes case arising from the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raid at the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office in West Bengal, with the central agency accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of deliberately obstructing its investigation.
During the hearing, the ED placed digital evidence before the court, including WhatsApp messages that it said were circulated among TMC workers urging them to assemble near the raid site. The agency alleged that these messages were part of an organised attempt to intimidate officials, create disruption and derail a lawful search operation.
The bench took a serious view of the matter and asked pointedly whether political parties were attempting to turn Kolkata into “another Jantar Mantar” — a reference to mass protest sites used to challenge official actions. The court questioned whether such mobilisation during an ongoing probe was acceptable under the law.
The ED argued that the raid on I-PAC was part of a broader money-laundering investigation linked to alleged financial irregularities in political consulting and election-related funding. It maintained that the deliberate gathering of party workers amounted to obstruction of justice.
TMC has rejected the allegations, calling the raid politically motivated and accusing the Centre of using investigative agencies to target opposition parties ahead of elections.
The Supreme Court is expected to continue hearing the matter, with both sides likely to file additional submissions.
