Supreme Court reserves verdict on ED's plea for CBI probe into Mamata's conduct

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the conduct of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during raids on facilities linked to the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC). The ED had alleged that Banerjee was responsible for the removal of records and electronic devices from sites where agency officials were conducting searches. The proceedings come amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal, with the state assembly elections scheduled for 2026. Banerjee's government has consistently denied the ED's allegations, characterizing the raids as a deliberate attempt to weaken the Trinamool Congress ahead of the forthcoming polls. The Chief Minister has framed the issue as an example of misuse of central investigative agencies for political purposes. The timing and scope of the raids have become a point of significant political contention, with the state government and ruling party maintaining that the action was designed to destabilize the administration. The Supreme Court's decision on whether to authorize a separate CBI investigation is expected to have considerable bearing on the broader inquiry into I-PAC's activities and the government's response to the enforcement action.