'Used Entire System To Put Democracy In Jeopardy': SC Pulls Up Mamata Banerjee In I-PAAC Case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for interfering in the I-PAC probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying her actions put democracy in jeopardy, according to News 18.

A bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice NV Anjaria was hearing the writ petitions filed by the probe agency seeking registration of a CBI FIR against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state police officials for allegedly obstructing the ED raid of I-PAC, the political consultant of the Trinamool Congress.

The ED has accused CM Banerjee and state officials of interfering with its probe and searches at the offices of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), which took place in early January as part of a money laundering probe.

“This is, per se, an action by an individual who happens to be the CM who has used the entire system to put democracy in jeopardy," the apex court said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

"You have taken us through the writings of HM Seervai, BR Ambedkar, but none of them would have conceived this situation in this country, that one day a sitting Chief Minister will walk into the office during an ongoing investigation," the court said.

The state had claimed that the raids were politically motivated and aimed at undermining the Trinamool Congress ahead of the elections.

For the unversed, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reportedly barged into the home of political consultancy firm I-PAC’s chief, Pratik Jain and walked out with files and a cellphone, even as the probe agency was conducting raids.