'Mobocracy in court?': SC explodes over Calcutta HC chaos in ED vs Mamata showdown

“This kind of act will encourage state police officers to aid and abet such cases,” Mehta told the court, as quoted by NDTV.

Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the West Bengal government and state police, argued that Banerjee is a Z-category protectee and is accompanied by police personnel wherever she goes.

“Whether she is a Chief Minister or president of a party, she is a Z-class protectee,” Singhvi said, as quoted by India Today.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Banerjee, alleged that the ED conducted the raid at the I-PAC office despite knowing it contained confidential party documents.

Questioning the timing of the action in a poll-bound state, Sibal said, “They knew there was election material there, which is why they went there. They knew that office has confidential election material under a contract. This is a complete malafide act on the part of the ED.”

In response, Mehta argued that the elections are yet to be notified.

The court is scheduled to resume hearing after lunch.