The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a petition before the Supreme Court of India, seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and senior state officials.
The agency alleges that Banerjee and others obstructed its search operations at the Kolkata offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC and its director Pratik Jain. The Supreme Court has not yet heard the matter. The case follows earlier proceedings in the Calcutta High Court, which were adjourned due to disruptions in the courtroom.
According to Bar and Bench, the ED’s petition accuses Mamata Banerjee and state officials of interfering with the agency’s investigation into alleged coal smuggling and money laundering. The ED claims that its officers were prevented from carrying out their duties, and that crucial physical and electronic evidence was removed from the premises during the raids.
As reported by Hindustan Times, the ED’s writ petition details allegations that Banerjee, accompanied by senior police officials and a large contingent of police personnel, entered the search sites and disrupted the investigation.
The agency asserts that its officers were threatened, restrained, and that files and electronic devices were forcibly taken away. The ED has invoked constitutional protections for its officers and requested the Supreme Court to direct the CBI to register cases against Banerjee and the officials involved.
As highlighted by The Indian Express, the ED’s searches at I-PAC’s offices and the residence of its director were conducted in connection with a coal smuggling-linked money laundering case. During the operation, Mamata Banerjee was seen leaving the premises with a laptop and a green folder, and later with several files from the I-PAC office. The ED alleges that these actions resulted in the removal of evidence relevant to the ongoing investigation.
In the agency’s petition, it is stated that “the manner in which the search sites were allegedly taken over amounted to a complete derailment of a lawful investigation.” The ED further claims that the intervention by state officials escalated the situation from a statutory search to a confrontation, and that the agency’s officers were wrongfully confined and unable to complete mandatory procedures. Coverage revealed that the ED’s questioning at I-PAC focused on the firm’s data and research operations, with particular interest in electoral data and internal political strategy documents.
“The State executive cannot sit in appeal over the ‘reason to believe’ of an ED officer under the PMLA, nor can it adjudicate the legality of a search by physical force,” the ED’s petition stated, as cited in the legal filings.
On the political front, Analysis showed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded the arrest of Mamata Banerjee and senior police officials, alleging that the state police acted as a “personal goon squad” for the Chief Minister during the raids. The BJP has also questioned the nature of I-PAC’s relationship with the Trinamool Congress and the handling of confidential files during the operation.
The ED’s plea in the Supreme Court follows the adjournment of related cases in the Calcutta High Court, where proceedings were disrupted by commotion in the courtroom. Both the ED and the Trinamool Congress have filed cross-petitions, with the TMC seeking to restrain the agency from leaking party-related information. The West Bengal government has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to ensure it is heard before any orders are passed as details emerged.
During the searches, the ED stated that it was acting on evidence of alleged hawala transactions involving tens of crores of rupees routed to I-PAC, which has managed the Trinamool Congress’s election campaigns. The agency maintains that its actions were based on statutory authority and not linked to the upcoming elections. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter after the High Court’s next scheduled session.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.