SC rejects ED plea to summon Moloy Ghatak to Delhi in coal scam

The Supreme Court has rejected the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) application to summon West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak to Delhi for questioning in connection with the coal smuggling case. The ED approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court ruled that Ghatak could be interrogated in Kolkata instead of the national capital. The Chief Justice's bench, after 181 days, dismissed the ED's petition, upholding the previous order given by the Delhi High Court.

Moloy Ghatak came under the ED's scanner when the coal scam investigation extended into West Bengal. Allegations surfaced that a group involved in coal smuggling, led by an individual named Lala, might have had political support. The ED wanted to investigate whether Ghatak, a state legislator at the time, had any involvement or whether he benefited from or influenced the smuggling operations. Ghatak had been summoned multiple times to Delhi for questioning, particularly around the time of the Lok Sabha elections, but had only attended once.

Citing his health and position as a state minister, Ghatak challenged the ED's repeated summons in the Delhi High Court, asking that he be questioned in Kolkata rather than Delhi. The Delhi High Court accepted his plea, allowing him to be interrogated in Kolkata and ruling that sufficient notice should be given before summoning him. Following this decision, the ED escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, which has now rejected their petition.

The ED had sought to overturn the High Court’s order, but with the Supreme Court’s dismissal, Ghatak will continue to be questioned in Kolkata instead of Delhi.