Overview
- Proceedings were pushed to March 18, with the Supreme Court’s earlier orders staying FIRs against ED officers and preserving CCTV and digital records still in force.
- The ED’s rejoinder alleges Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the DGP and Kolkata police chief entered active searches on January 8, halted data backups, removed devices and documents, and intimidated officers using Z+ security.
- The agency has asked for FIRs to be registered and the matter transferred to the CBI, arguing a public right to a fair money-laundering probe and asserting its officers were wrongfully restrained.
- The West Bengal government denies obstruction, says Banerjee retrieved only TMC proprietary data with ED’s consent, calls the action politically timed to access election strategy material, and challenges the petition’s maintainability.
- The searches relate to alleged laundering of illegal coal-mining proceeds that the ED says were routed to I-PAC through hawala networks, while Kolkata Police have filed FIRs against ED personnel tied to the January 8 raids.