"Everyone must follow the law": WB Governor CV Ananda Bose on SC notices to Mamata Banerjee

Speaking to reporters, West Bengal Governor Bose said, "There are courts, everyone must follow the law, whatever the Supreme Court has said is final."

West Bengal Governor's remarks came after the Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and senior state-police officials on pleas filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleging interference by state authorities during its search operations at the premises of political consultancy firm I-PAC under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

A Bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and A.G. Masih noted that if issues involving larger constitutional questions are left undecided, it could lead to a situation of lawlessness in states governed by different political outfits.

"Considering adherence of rule of law in the country and to allow each organ to function independently, it is necessary to examine the issue so that offenders are not allowed to be protected under the shield of law-enforcing agencies of a particular state. According to us, larger questions are involved and raised, which if allowed to remain undecided, would further worsen the situation, and there will be a situation of lawlessness prevailing in one or other state, considering that different outfits are governing at different places," the Court observed.

The Court has also stayed an FIR registered by the West Bengal police against ED officials who had entered the I-PAC premises to conduct searches, after ED counsel sought interim protection. During the hearing, the Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of ED, described the incident as reflecting a "shocking state of affairs" in West Bengal.

Earlier, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee allegedly interfered during an ED raid at the offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC in connection with the coal smuggling case.

Banerjee alleged that the central agency had seized party-related materials, including hard disks, candidate lists and strategic documents, and accused Amit Shah of misusing central agencies.

"Is it the duty of the ED, Amit Shah, to collect the party's hard disk, candidate list? The nasty, naughty Home Minister who cannot protect the country is taking away all my party documents," Banerjee said while speaking to reporters.

Banerjee asserted that I-PAC was not a private organisation, but an authorised team working for the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). She alleged that the ED had confiscated sensitive documents, including data linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

This development in West Bengal has led to a sharp face-off between the ruling TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. (ANI)