Today, On 15th January, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta warned that podcasts discussing court judgments could distort constitutional decisions, stressing that lawyers cannot discuss such matters on shows. His remarks came during SC hearings on ED petitions against Mamata Banerjee and senior police.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta expressed concerns today regarding podcast discussions related to court judgments, warning against the narratives these discussions might create about decisions made by a constitutional court.
His remarks came during a Supreme Court hearing concerning petitions filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and its officers, who alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and senior police officials interfered during a search at the office of the political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its director, Prateek Jain.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s recent Standard Operating Procedure that emphasizes adhering to timelines for oral arguments. As the hearing progressed, Justice P.K. Mishra noted,
“There was a schedule by CJI about time of arguments,”
In response, SG Mehta stated,
“It should also be said that lawyers cannot discuss such matters on shows.”
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, present in the courtroom and operating a YouTube channel, countered that there is “no law against it; judgments are public property once delivered.”
He added that a circular should be issued to prevent ED officials from leaking information to favored journalists.
SG Mehta retorted,
“This is not the place for this,”
The Bench of Justices P.K. Mishra and Vipul M. Pancholi remarked that the case raises “larger questions” relating to the independence of investigations by central agencies and potential interference from state authorities, which merits examination by the Supreme Court.
The ED has requested a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the actions of Mamata Banerjee and West Bengal police officers, alleging that the Chief Minister, along with senior police officials, disrupted a lawful search under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by forcibly seizing digital devices and documents.
SG Mehta described the incident as part of a “shocking pattern” in which the Chief Minister allegedly obstructed statutory authorities in their duties.
He argued that during the January 8 search tied to an alleged coal scam, CM Banerjee, together with the Director General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner, entered the premises despite being asked not to interfere.
The ED further claimed that multiple FIRs had been filed against its officers following this incident, including those allegedly leading to the removal of CCTV footage, and requested protection for its officers, citing threats to their Article 21 rights.