New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Thursday described as “extremely serious” the allegations made by the Enforcement Directorate that its officials were obstructed by the West Bengal government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during search operations linked to an alleged coal pilferage case.

A bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi said it would issue notice in the matter and examine the claims in detail. Making oral observations, the bench noted that the issue warranted close scrutiny due to its gravity.

The apex court also expressed concern over the disorder witnessed at the Calcutta High Court while it was hearing petitions related to the ED’s raids. The High Court had earlier deferred proceedings till January 14, citing chaotic conditions inside the courtroom that made it impossible to conduct the hearing.

At the outset, the ED informed the Supreme Court that it faced repeated interference during its search and seizure operations at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its director, calling the situation alarming.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, alleged that such interference was not unprecedented and claimed that whenever statutory agencies attempted to carry out lawful duties, the chief minister personally intervened. He argued that this pattern could undermine the morale of central agencies and embolden similar conduct elsewhere.

Mehta urged the court to take cognisance of the incident, contending that officials present during the obstruction should face disciplinary action. He asserted that there was material indicating the presence of incriminating evidence at the I-PAC office and maintained that the agency was acting strictly within the bounds of law.

Referring to the disruption at the Calcutta High Court, Mehta said that the entry of large numbers of advocates and others had forced the court to adjourn the matter, warning that such scenes risk replacing democratic processes with mob pressure.

Opposing the ED’s submissions, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the Supreme Court should allow the Calcutta High Court to hear the matter first, stressing the need to respect judicial hierarchy. He accused the ED of pursuing parallel legal proceedings.

Sibal also cited video footage and official search records to dispute claims that digital devices were seized or removed by the chief minister, calling such allegations baseless. Questioning the timing of the raids, he asked why the agency acted now when the last statement in the case had been recorded nearly a year ago.

The matter arose from incidents on January 8, when ED teams conducting raids at locations linked to I-PAC in Salt Lake and at the Kolkata residence of its director, Pratik Jain, allegedly faced resistance.

While the ED has claimed that crucial evidence was taken away during the incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the agency of exceeding its authority. The Trinamool Congress has denied obstructing the investigation, and the state police have registered a case against ED officials.

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The hearing in the Supreme Court is continuing.