The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday (January 15) approached the Supreme Court seeking the suspension of West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar in the I-PAC raids case. The ED moved a fresh application ahead of the hearing in the case.In its plea, the ED has also called for disciplinary action against senior officials of the West Bengal Police, alleging misconduct and lack of cooperation during the agency’s investigation.
The central agency has further urged the apex court to direct the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the officials concerned.
A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi is hearing the matter.The West Bengal government has also filed a caveat in the top court, seeking that no order should be passed without hearing it in connection with the ED raids against political-consultancy firm I-PAC and its chief Pratik Jain.
A caveat is filed by a litigant in the high courts and the Supreme Court to ensure that no adverse order is passed against it without it being heard.The ED has also alleged that Banerjee entered the raid sites and took away “key” evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices, from the premises of I-PAC and obstructed and interfered with the investigation in the case.The ED has further claimed in its plea that the chief minister’s presence at the search site and the alleged removal of documents had an intimidating effect on officers and seriously compromised the federal probe agency’s ability to discharge its statutory functions independently.The TMC has denied the ED’s allegation of obstruction.It had been alleged that the ED action against I-PAC, the election consultant of the party, was aimed at accessing confidential election-strategy material.The party has maintained that I-PAC functions as its election strategist and that the ED’s action was intended to disrupt its electoral preparations rather than pursue any bona fide investigation in the case.The Assembly polls are due in West Bengal in a few months.
