The ongoing confrontation between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government over controversial raids linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC has escalated to the Supreme Court, intensifying legal and political tensions in the poll-bound state.
The ED has filed a writ petition before the apex court, alleging that its investigation was deliberately obstructed by the West Bengal state machinery and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during search operations carried out on Thursday at the residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain and the firm’s Kolkata office. The central agency has sought directions for either a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe or an independent inquiry, calling the alleged interference unprecedented.
Anticipating ED’s move, the West Bengal government filed a caveat in the Supreme Court on Saturday, requesting that no order be passed without hearing the state. According to sources, the ED is likely to urgently mention the matter before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday, seeking immediate judicial intervention to prevent possible tampering or destruction of evidence.
In its petition, the ED has detailed the sequence of events during the raids, claiming that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accompanied by senior state officials, entered the search locations and forcibly removed key documents and electronic devices. The agency alleged that the presence and actions of local police officials made it impossible for it to conduct an independent and fair investigation.
The ED has argued that given the sensitivity of the case and the alleged involvement of the state machinery, the probe cannot be entrusted to the West Bengal police. It claimed that its constitutional right to conduct an independent investigation was curtailed, amounting to obstruction of justice.
The dispute stems from ED searches at 10 locations — six in West Bengal and four in Delhi — linked to alleged coal smuggling kingpin Anup Majee, as part of a money laundering investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The agency has claimed that nearly ₹10 crore in alleged proceeds of crime were routed to I-PAC through hawala channels, and that the firm was paid by the Trinamool Congress for its role in the 2022 Goa Assembly elections.
Earlier, the ED had approached the Calcutta High Court seeking registration of an FIR against Mamata Banerjee for allegedly obstructing its operations. However, hearings before both a single judge and a division bench were deferred until January 14.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress and I-PAC have filed counter-petitions, asserting that the seized materials were related solely to election strategy and campaign planning, which they argue fall outside the scope of the PMLA. They accused the ED of attempting to access confidential political material under the guise of a criminal probe. The family of Pratik Jain has also alleged theft of documents during the searches, a charge the ED has denied.