‘Wanted to turn the court into Jantar Mantar?’: SC lashes out at the TMC for organising protests inside Calcutta HC

On 15^th January, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the party workers causing uncontrollable chaos in the Calcutta High Court’s courtroom during a hearing on 14^th January, on the plea moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

In its plea, the ED sought an investigation against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the accusation that she interfered in the ED’s raid on the political consultancy I-PAC’s office on 8^th January.

During the hearing on 15^th January, the Supreme Court bench comprising PK Mishra and Vipul Pancholi asked if the TMC wanted to turn the Calcutta High Court’s courtroom into Jantar Mantar.

Justice PK Mishra asked this after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that he had placed on record the WhatsApp chats of the legal wing of the TMC, saying that the chats showed that the ruckus created during the hearing was deliberate and well-planned.

SC: DID TMC WANT TO TURN HC INTO JANTAR MANTAR?

NOT JUST ED BUT HC INTERDICTED?

ED submitted WhatsApp messages detailing an attempt by TMC to gather its supporters at the HC.

HC had to adjourn the Jan 9 hearing under duress citing "over whelming crowd". pic.twitter.com/w6qIpHQ4Nq

— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) January 15, 2026

“They were all instructed by the legal cell of the party. So, it was intentional. Message says gathering today at gate number…” SG Tushar Mehta said.

In response, Justice Mishra asked, “Was it Jantar Mantar?”

Responding to the judge’s question, SG Mehta said, “Yes, the court was converted into Jantar Mantar. They had arranged buses and transport also for those members. HC passed an order saying only lawyers will enter the court and the hearing will be live-streamed.”

TMC workers wreaked havoc at the Calcutta High Court on 9^th January

It must be recalled that on 9^th January, the Calcutta High Court witnessed unprecedented commotion in the courtroom, leading to the adjournment of a crucial hearing involving the ED’s petition against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. The matter, linked to obstruction by the CM and state police during ED raids at the premises of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), was postponed to January 14 due to uncontrollable chaos in the courtroom.

Justice Suvra Ghosh, presiding over the single-judge bench, expressed strong displeasure over the “unmanageable crowd” and large-scale chaos in the courtroom. Despite repeated requests for unrelated persons and lawyers to vacate the premises, the appeals went unheeded, making it impossible to proceed with the hearing. As attempts to clear the court failed, designated advocates struggled to approach the bench amid the packed room. Frustrated, the judge eventually left the courtroom without commencing proceedings, adjourning the matter for 14th January.

Dissatisfied with the adjournment, the ED has approached the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, both verbally and through a written application, seeking an urgent hearing of their petition. The agency requested that the matter be assigned to a special bench or another judge to expedite proceedings if the current judge is unable to hear it.

What the Supreme Court said during the hearing on 15^th January

The Supreme Court handed a setback to the TMC on 15^th January. Expressing grave concerns over the interference by state authorities, including the CM herself, in the ED’s action against I-PAC, the court issued notices to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, and other senior officials in response to the ED’s petition seeking a CBI probe into the matter. The court also stayed the FIRs filed by the state police against ED officers involved in the raid.

“We are of the prima facie view that the present petition has raised a serious issue relating to the investigation by the ED or other central agencies and interference by State agencies. According to us, for adherence to the rule of law in the country and to allow each organ to function independently, it is necessary to examine the issue so that offenders are not allowed to be protected under the seal of law-enforcing agencies of a particular State,” the court stated.

The court further noted that without addressing such issues, a situation of lawlessness would arise. The bench stated, “According to us, large questions have been raised and are involved in the present matter, which, if allowed to remain undecided, would further worsen the situation, and there will be a situation of lawlessness prevailing in one or other state, considering that different outfits are governing different places.”

The court also questioned whether central agencies could be restricted under the guise of protecting party activities during bona fide probes.

“There are larger questions which emerge and if not answered shall lead to lawlessness. If Central agencies are working bona fide to probe a serious offence, a question arises: can they be obstructed by party activities? Issue notice to the respondents. Let the counter be filed in 2 weeks. It is also directed that the FIRs registered against the ED officers shall remain stayed. till the next date of hearing,” Justice Mishra said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, urged the court to take cognisance of the “very serious” situation, including the alleged theft of an ED officer’s phone and the demoralisation of central forces. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju argued for an immediate CBI probe and suspension of the involved police officers.

The next hearing in the matter will take place on 3^rd February 2026.

Before the hearing began on 15^th January, the ED filed a plea seeking suspension of West Bengal Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma and South Kolkata Dy Commissioner Priyabatra Roy. The probe agency alleged the officers helped CM Mamata Banerjee in removing crucial evidence during the raids.

West Bengal Coal Mining Scam, I-PAC and the TMC connection

Back in 2020, the CBI registered an FIR on 27^th November 2020, against businessman Anup Maji and others. The FIR spoke about illegal coal mining from the leasehold areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) in West Bengal. On 28^th November, 2020, the ED registered an ECIR and began tracking the money trail linked to the coal trade.

During the investigation, the ED found that Majee’s network had taken out nearly 25.51 lakh metric tonnes of coal. The coal, worth more than Rs 1,114 crore, was supplied to factories in districts such as Bankura, Purba Bardhaman and Purulia. The agency also uncovered a hawala setup used to move and hide the money earned from this activity.

In 2020, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a fresh case of coal theft and smuggling. It was found that Anup Maji had hired several employees for the maintenance of the record of the illegally mined and stolen coal, which was sold to various companies. The probe further revealed that one Gurapada Maji transferred Rs 89 crore as proceeds of crime via Anup Maji’s associates between 2017 and 2020. Meanwhile, another accused person, Jayadev Mandal, transferred proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 58 crore.

Between January and April 2021, the Enforcement Directorate carried out search and seizure operations at 46 locations linked to the accused persons under Section 17 of the PMLA.

The I-PAC angle emerged in the case as the ED investigation found that one of the Hawala operators in the coal mining scam had facilitated the transfer of crores of rupees to the I-PAC. Following this, the ED launched searches on the premise linked to I-PAC chief Pratik Jain.

It has alleged that coal scam money from Anup Maji was routed through hawala to I-PAC, were used for TMC’s Goa election campaign. Thus, there emerged an alleged direct link between the coal scam funds and TMC’s Goa political financing.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that the TMC used “Rs 20 crore proceeds of crime” in Goa between 2021 and 2022. The probe agency mentioned this in a writ petition filed before the Calcutta High Court on 9^th January.

These transfers were made through middlemen, including a firm named R. Kanti Lal, and were linked to election-related activities. Statements from those involved and WhatsApp chats have been cited as key evidence.

On 8th January, 2026, ED teams searched ten locations, six in West Bengal and four in Delhi. These included places linked to Majee’s associates, hawala operators, buyers from the Shakambhari Group, and I-PAC.

Searches at Pratik Jain’s Loudon Street residence and the I-PAC office drew attention after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived with police. The ED later moved the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe. Questions were raised as to why the TMC, particularly Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is so rattled over the anti-graft agency investigating a private political consultancy firm.