The Supreme Court of India convened on Thursday to hear substantive arguments on an appeal filed by the Enforcement Directorate challenging the alleged administrative obstruction and mob mobilization orchestrated during financial search operations conducted at corporate premises linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC in Kolkata in early 2024. Senior central prosecutors argued that local police authorities actively impeded federal investigators from securing crucial digital evidence.
The central agency’s petition contends that state administrative machinery failed to maintain a neutral law-and-order perimeter, permitting partisan demonstrators to surround investigative teams, confiscate seized hard drives, and intimidate central agency officers executing valid search warrants. Counsel representing the West Bengal government strongly rebutted the charges, arguing that central agencies overstepped procedural norms and provoked civil commotion without coordinating with local police stations.
The apex court bench observed that friction between central investigative bodies and state law-and-order authorities poses significant constitutional hazards to federal cooperation in tackling economic crime. The court adjourned proceedings to next week, directing both sides to submit chronological video logs and contemporaneous duty diaries recorded during the disputed raid operations.
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Sources:
https://www.india.com/hindi-news/india-hindi/latest-news-live-blog-17-september-2026-weather-rain-congress-vs-bjp-sports-cinema-sensex-politics-and-supreme-court-news-8526123/