TMC Leaders Get Clean Chit in ED Protest Case – Delhi Court Drops All Charges
Well, this is big. A Delhi court just let off 10 Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders—including firebrand MP Derek O’Brien—in that messy protest case from the 2024 elections. The Rouse Avenue Court basically said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had no leg to stand on. No evidence, no case. And just like that, charges got tossed out. You can bet there’s dancing in TMC offices right now. But here’s the thing: this isn’t just about one court ruling. It’s about how central agencies keep tripping over their own shoelaces when going after opposition parties. Let’s break it down.
How We Got Here: The Protest That Started It All
Picture this: Lok Sabha elections in full swing, tension thick enough to cut with a knife. TMC leaders storm the Election Commission’s Delhi office, shouting about bias and rigging. Things got heated—no broken bones, but plenty of shouting matches. Next thing you know, the ED slaps charges on them for “unlawful assembly” and disrupting public order. Classic move, right? Except the court just called their bluff.
The Court’s Verdict: No Smoke, Definitely No Fire
Here’s where it gets juicy. The judge didn’t just dismiss the case—they ripped the ED’s argument to shreds. Lack of evidence? Check. Witnesses changing their stories? Yep. The court even called the protest “democratic expression,” which is legal-speak for “chill, this is how politics works.” One lawyer I spoke to put it bluntly: “The ED walked into court with a wet firecracker and expected a bang.” Ouch.
Political Fallout: Chest-Thumping vs. Damage Control
TMC’s social media team went into overdrive. Derek O’Brien tweeted something about “truth winning”—standard victory lap stuff. Meanwhile, BJP folks did their best impression of shrugging it off. “Courts decide, voters judge,” said one MP. But let’s be real: this feeds straight into the opposition’s “ED is BJP’s pet bulldozer” narrative. And after three similar acquittals this year? That bulldozer’s looking more like a wheelbarrow.
Election Impact: More Than Just Morale Booster
West Bengal’s gonna feel this one. TMC can now play the martyr card even harder—”See how they come after us?” But the bigger story? Every time the ED loses like this, people start whispering. You know, those “are-they-really-independent-or-just-hired-guns” whispers. And in election season, whispers turn into shouts real quick.
Twitter Wars and TV Screaming Matches
#EDFail was trending before the judge even left the courtroom. Pro-TMC channels framed it as David beating Goliath. Right-wing anchors? Oh, they had a field day—”What about the broken flower pots outside EC office?” (Yes, someone actually said that.) Even Bollywood types jumped in, because nothing says “democratic discourse” like a celebrity hot take.
What’s Next? Probably Not What You Think
ED could appeal, but lawyers say that’d be like ordering dessert after getting food poisoning—pointless and painful. TMC might file counter-cases for “harassment,” because politics is basically a never-ending game of tit-for-tat. Long-term? This could make courts think twice before rubber-stamping protest cases. Or maybe nothing changes. India’s funny that way.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t just about 10 politicians walking free. It’s about the system’s credibility taking another hit. When agencies cry wolf too often, people stop believing them—even when there’s actual wolf. As for TMC? They’ll milk this till the cows come home. But in the grand circus of Indian politics, today’s victory parade is tomorrow’s forgotten headline.
Source: News18 Hindi – Nation
