I-PAC raid row: SC stays Bengal Police FIRs against ED officers; issues notice to CM Mamata Banerjee, others

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, Jan 15 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in connection with the recent searches at the premises of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its co-founder, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata.

Observing that the petitions raise serious questions of alleged interference by state agencies in a central investigation, a Bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul Pancholi issued notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata Police Commissioner and others on the ED’s pleas alleging obstruction during the search operations conducted last week.

The Justice Mishra-led Bench granted two weeks to the respondents to file their counter-affidavits, listing the matter for further hearing on February 3.

In its interim order, the apex court also directed preservation of CCTV footage and other storage devices containing recordings of the searched premises as well as the surrounding areas till the next date of hearing.

It observed that, prima facie, the petitions raise serious issues relating to investigations carried out by the ED and alleged interference by the state government.

Stressing the need for adherence to the rule of law, the Supreme Court observed that if such issues are allowed to remain undecided, it could lead to a situation of “lawlessness” in one or more states.

Seeking urgent judicial intervention, the ED has claimed that its officials faced resistance and were prevented from carrying out their duties in accordance with the law during the simultaneous search operations at I-PAC’s office and Pratik Jain’s residence.

The Central anti-money laundering agency has further alleged that interference by West Bengal authorities compromised the integrity of its investigation.

In a fresh application, the ED has also sought action against senior West Bengal Police officials, including the DGP, alleging that they acted in concert with CM Mamta Banerjee to obstruct the probe and facilitate the alleged removal of evidence.

–IANS

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Responding to the remarks, Khan Sir slammed those responsible for the comparison, saying they lacked basic education.

“Tell those who want to do all this that they lack education. We will teach them, we will teach them for 99 rupees, if they want, we will teach them for free. We do not do politics, we teach politics,” Khan Sir told IANS.

A major political row erupted on Friday after the Kerala unit of the Congress party posted a controversial message on X, comparing Bihar to “bidis”. Following the uproar, the Congress deleted the post from its official X handle.

Apart from reacting to the row, Khan Sir also addressed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms on education and healthcare, a demand he has been vocal about for months.

“We have been requesting GST reforms for a year now, that GST should be reduced on education and healthcare,” he said.

He thanked the central government for reducing GST on some essential items but urged a complete waiver on tuition and coaching services.

“I thank PM Modi for taking this serious matter seriously and increasing GST on luxurious things. However, we hope that when he gives his speech on 26th January, he will say that GST should be reduced by 18 per cent from education or 5 per cent or not at all. When the government has not taken GST on schools or on institutions, then why are they taking GST on students who are weak and going for tuitions? They should also not be charged GST,” Khan Sir added.

Expressing hope, he concluded, “And we think that PM Modi will definitely listen to this. It takes some time. It takes time to reach a PM.”

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EAM Jaishankar, Chilean Prez Boric discuss long-standing bilateral ties

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Tuesday held talks with Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font and discussed ways to strenghthen long-standing bilateral ties.

Taking to X, Jaishankar posted, “Pleased to call on President Gabriel Boric of Chile at the start of his State Visit to India. Appreciate his commitment for deepening our long-standing cooperation.”

“Confident that his talks with PM Narendra Modi today will foster new partnerships and greater engagement,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Boric landed in New Delhi for a five-day State Visit to India. He was received with a warm welcome by Union Minister of State (MoS) Pabitra Margherita and was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour upon landing at the airport.

Announcing his arrival, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted, “Bienvenido, President Gabriel Boric! President Boric of Chile landed in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India. Accorded a ceremonial welcome & Guard of Honour.”

Accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, parliament members, senior officials, business representatives, media personnel, and prominent Chileans engaged in the India-Chile cultural exchange, Boric is set to visit Agra, Mumbai, and Bengaluru before concluding his visit on April 5.

After landing in India, the Chilean President took to X and posted, “6:30 a.m. in New Delhi, and from here we begin this State Visit to India, a momentous occasion for strengthening and diversifying our economic, political, and cultural relations at a time when multilateral cooperation is more necessary than ever. We are talking about the fifth-largest economy and the most populous country on the planet, with whom we share common ground and opportunities for growth in key areas such as agribusiness, innovation, and the creative industries.”

Stressing the strengthening of bilateral ties, he added, “We’re here to strengthen and strengthen our ties, and that’s why I’m joined by government officials, the National Congress, business leaders, leaders in the fields of innovation and culture, distinguished professors, and students. A busy schedule. I’ll keep you posted!”

He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day, and the two leaders will engage in comprehensive discussions on the full spectrum of India-Chile relations. PM Modi will also host a special luncheon in Boric’s honour.

Additionally, the Chilean President will meet with his Indian counterpart, President Droupadi Murmu, for further deliberations, following which a banquet will be hosted in his honour.

In Mumbai and Bengaluru, Boric will interact with political figures, industry leaders, startup entrepreneurs, and technology innovators, fostering collaborations between the two nations in various sectors.

The MEA emphasised that this State Visit presents an opportunity for both countries to assess their bilateral ties and deliberate on regional and global matters of mutual interest.

“India-Chile relations have traditionally been characterised by warmth, friendship, and a commonality of views on a wide range of issues. Both countries cooperate extensively in multilateral fora and share similar views on climate change/renewable energy and on expansion and reforms of the UNSC,” the MEA stated.

“Chile articulated its support for India’s claim to a permanent seat in the UNSC in a Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of the official visit of the Chilean Foreign Minister to India in April 2003 and has consistently reiterated this support since then. Chile shares India’s concerns regarding the threat of international terrorism and has condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” it added.

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Mock drills conducted at several locations in MP

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In Bhopal, mock drills were conducted at several locations, mostly at public places, shopping malls, and schools under the supervision of the District Collector and Police Commissioner.

The operations include search and rescue at BHEL, fire and evacuation drills at DB Mall, emergency medical response at Nutan College, mass evacuation practice at New Market, and building collapse rescue at Kokta Multi.

Meanwhile, Indore District Collector released a video message, urging people of the city to co-operate in the civil defence mock drill, which is being carried out in compliance with the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Singh has urged the citizens of Indore to switch off the lights of homes, shops and other buildings at 7:30 pm. He has also asked people driving vehicles at their particular time to park their vehicles on the roadside and switch off their lights.

“At 7:30 pm, a siren will ring for two minutes, and people of the city are asked to switch off the lights of their homes and shops. Those driving vehicles are requested to park their vehicles on the roadside and switch off lights,” Singh urged.

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Singh further said that a special blackout simulation will take place across the city from 7:30 to 7:42 p.m. A red alert siren will ring two minutes before the blackout, instructing citizens to switch off all lights and stop driving. The practice will conclude at 7:42 p.m. with a green alert siren.

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Jabalpur SP Sampat Upadhyay said that officials practised various tasks such as finding explosive devices, rescuing and treating injured people, controlling fires, and managing law and order during emergencies.

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