Observing that the Enforcement Directorate had “raised a serious issue” with its petition seeking a CBI probe into the alleged obstruction by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state police officers during search operations at the Kolkata premises of political consultancy firm I-PAC, the Supreme Court Thursday issued notice to the CM and top police officers.

The bench of Justices P K Mishra and Vipul M Pancholi also stayed proceedings in the FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police against ED officers. It directed that CCTV and other devices containing footage of the ED search operation be preserved.

Fixing February 3 as the date for the next hearing, the bench directed the respondents to file a counter-affidavit in two weeks.

“The prima facie view is that the present petition has raised a serious issue relating to the investigation by the Enforcement Directorate or other Central agencies and its interference by state agencies,” the bench said.

“For adherence to 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 shield of law-enforcing agencies of a particular state.