Supreme Court Hearing on ED’s Raid on I-PAC The ED has moved a writ petition against the State of West Bengal alleging that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee obstructed the agency’s raid on the office of I‑PAC , the consultant of the Trinamool Congress . The matter is before a two‑judge bench of Justice Pankaj Mishra and Justice N.V. Anjaria of the Supreme Court . Key Developments (Live Updates) 3:49 PM IST, 18 Mar 2026 – Advocate Sibal argued that the obstruction of the ED officials falls under Section 221 of the BNS Act . He sought a writ directing the CBI to register an FIR and investigate the obstruction. 3:43 PM IST – Sibal contended that the ED, being a statutory body, does not enjoy a "fundamental right" and therefore the claim of violation of any fundamental right is misplaced. 3:33 PM IST – He emphasized that the ED’s powers are statutory, derived from the central government’s authority to appoint officers for enforcement of the law, not a constitutional right. Important Facts The Court earlier stayed further proceedings in the West Bengal FIRs against ED officials and ordered preservation of CCTV footage and electronic material related to the Jan 8 search. The bench highlighted the risk of "lawlessness" if state officials impede central investigative agencies. The dispute raises questions on the balance between a state’s autonomy and the central government’s enforcement powers.