ED Seeks Supreme Court Ruling on CBI's Power to Probe Sitting Chief Ministers
What Happened
ED has asked the Supreme Court to decide a broader constitutional question: Can the CBI investigate a sitting Chief Minister if they are accused of committing an offence? The issue arose during hearings on the ED's allegations that former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state authorities obstructed an ED search at political consultancy firm I-PAC. While the court observed that a change in government may have altered the immediate context of the case, the ED urged judges to settle the larger legal principle.
Key Takeaways
The case could become a significant precedent defining the relationship between state governments and central investigating agencies. The Supreme Court is now expected to examine whether a sitting Chief Minister, who effectively oversees the state police machinery, can be independently investigated by the CBI in such circumstances. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on September 2.