In a massive legal shake-up on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Supreme Court just threw a heavy-duty wrench into the West Bengal government’s pushback against the Enforcement Directorate (ED).1
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The thing is, the court has officially stayed the FIRs that the Bengal Police filed against ED officers who raided the I-PAC offices last week.2 Or nothing. Let’s be real, the bench—led by Justices Prashant Mishra and Vipul Pancholi—didn’t hold back. They basically said that if they don’t step in now, it’s going to be “lawlessness” across the country.3 Those too.
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The “ED vs. I-PAC” Legal Log: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where a ₹2,700 crore coal-smuggling probe has turned into a street-level brawl between the Centre and the State.
The “Theft” Accusation: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta didn’t mince words.4 The thing is, he accused Mamata Banerjee of “theft” and “robbery,” claiming she literally took away a laptop, an iPhone, and files from the raid site.5 And here’s the kicker—the ED claims she even grabbed an officer’s phone.6
“Mobocracy” in Court: The SC was “very much disturbed” by what happened in the Calcutta High Court on January 9.7 The thing is, a mob of lawyers (allegedly via a TMC WhatsApp call) stormed the courtroom to stop the hearing.8 Justice Mishra asked if the High Court had been turned into “Jantar Mantar.” * The Sibal Defense: Kapil Sibal, representing the CM, argued that Mamata didn’t go as a Chief Minister but as a party chairperson to protect confidential election data.9 The thing is, they claim the ED is just trying to “snoop” on their 2026 Assembly election strategy.10
Preserving the Tapes: The court has ordered the State to lock down all CCTV footage from the I-PAC office and Pratik Jain’s residence.11 The thing is, if the tapes show the “theft” Mehta is talking about, things are going to get much messier for the Bengal top brass.
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Bengal Face-Off: The Timeline (Jan 2026)
| Date | Event | Key Update |
| Jan 8, 2026 | The Raid | ED hits I-PAC; Mamata Banerjee arrives at the scene. |
| Jan 9, 2026 | The Chaos | Calcutta HC hearing disrupted by “mobocracy”; police file FIRs vs. ED. |
| Jan 15, 2026 | SC Ruling | FIRs stayed. Notice issued to Mamata, DGP Rajeev Kumar, and Kolkata CP. |
| Feb 3, 202612 | Next Hearing13 | Court to decide on CBI probe and suspension of top cops.14 |
And Here’s the Kicker…
The ED is actually pushing for the suspension of DGP Rajeev Kumar and CP Manoj Verma.15 The thing is, the agency thinks the state police aren’t just failing to help—they’re actively helping the “theft” of evidence.16
It’s an ongoing situation where the next hearing on February 3 could decide if the CBI takes over the whole investigation.17 The thing is, if the Supreme Court rules that a Chief Minister can’t interfere in a central probe—even if it involves her party’s data—it changes the game for state-centre relations forever.
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