The Supreme Court on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) agreed to hear the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s plea challenging the grant of anticipatory bail to Anup Majee, the alleged “mastermind” behind the illegal coal mining scam in West Bengal, which the agency claimed operated with the “active” assistance of several leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress.

A Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and Vijay Bishnoi sought Mr. Majee’s response to the central agency’s plea challenging a June 16, 2025, order of the Delhi High Court granting him anticipatory bail in a money laundering case registered in 2020.

In its order, the High Court had observed that although the investigation had been underway for nearly five years and summons had been issued to Mr. Majee on multiple occasions, the ED had made no attempt to apprehend him during this period.

Appearing for the ED, Additional Solicitor General S. V. Raju sought cancellation of the anticipatory bail, contending that Mr. Majee had been absconding and that the case involved the large-scale plunder of national resources.

“He was absconding. National resources plundered. ₹2,700 crores… he is the kingpin,” Mr. Raju submitted.

Delay in seeking custodial interrogation

The Bench, however, questioned the ED over its delay in seeking custodial interrogation. “He (Mr. Majee) was in the custody of the CBI. Why did you (ED) not take him into custody then? Why were you not serious enough over the last six months?” the Bench asked.

The law officer, however, reiterated that Mr. Majee had remained absconding for a considerable period and had initially failed to cooperate with the investigation.

The Bench then asked whether Mr. Majee was presently cooperating with the probe. “Has he cooperated in the investigation?” the Bench enquired.

Mr. Raju responded that there had been “some cooperation” from Mr. Majee after he secured protection from the court.

Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, appearing for Mr. Majee, submitted that his client had extensively cooperated with the investigation and had appeared before the probe agency on 13 occasions. He further argued that custodial interrogation was no longer necessary.

While cautioning the central agency against “dragging the matter”, the Bench issued notice on the ED’s plea and posted the case for hearing in September.

Coal misappropriated

Before the High Court, the ED had alleged that coal worth ₹2,742.32 crore had been misappropriated from the leasehold areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) through illegal excavation and pilferage. ECL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Coal India Limited. Several leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress, including party MP Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira Banerjee and her family members, are also under the scanner of central agencies in connection with the alleged scam.

The most recent searches in the case were conducted in January at multiple locations, including premises in Kolkata linked to political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and one of its directors, Pratik Jain.

The January 8 searches triggered a political controversy after the ED alleged in a press statement that former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had entered Mr. Jain’s residence during the raids and “taken away key evidence”.

Ms. Banerjee, however, claimed that the ED, under the guise of conducting searches, was attempting to seize documents related to the party’s election strategy from the I-PAC premises ahead of the Assembly elections in the State.