The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has escalated its legal battle with the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government by approaching the Supreme Court. The central agency has alleged serious obstruction and interference by the state administration during its search operations at the Kolkata office of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its director, Pratik Jain.
Allegations of Evidence Removal and Police Obstruction
The raids, conducted on Thursday, January 8, were part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged multi-crore coal pilferage scam. In a dramatic turn of events, the ED has claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself entered the raid locations and removed what the agency describes as "key" evidence. This evidence reportedly included physical documents and electronic devices.
Banerjee has categorically rejected these allegations, accusing the ED of overreach. Anticipating legal action, the West Bengal government filed a caveat in the Supreme Court, seeking to be heard before any adverse order is passed.
Following the incident, the ED approached the Calcutta High Court on Friday seeking judicial intervention. In its writ petition, the agency accused the state police of acting in collusion with the Chief Minister to obstruct its officials. The ED stated that the police failed in their public duty with "flagrant and blatant disregard to law" and prevented officers from exercising their powers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Court Adjournment and Political Fallout
The Calcutta High Court, however, adjourned the hearing in the matter till January 14, 2026. The court cited an unconducive atmosphere in the courtroom due to heavy congestion caused by a large number of lawyers present.
In its 28-page petition to the High Court, the ED detailed that the situation escalated after the Chief Minister entered Jain's residence during the search. The agency said it approached the court to "instil public confidence" in the state administration's functioning and to immediately stop the alleged "overreach" by the state police and the Chief Minister.
The raids and subsequent court filings have triggered a sharp political confrontation. The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) West Bengal unit seized the opportunity to question the role of I-PAC in the state's governance. This came after Banerjee stated that I-PAC was an authorised team of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).
In a post on social media platform X, the state BJP asked, "What were Government of West Bengal documents doing in the IPAC office?" The party alleged a constitutional issue, claiming it appeared that bureaucrats were reporting to a private agency and demanded clarification from the Chief Minister.
Protests and Detentions in Delhi
The political drama extended to the national capital on Friday, where several Trinamool Congress MPs were detained in New Delhi. They were protesting outside Union Home Minister Amit Shah's office against the ED raids on the I-PAC office.
Condemning the detentions, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed the action as "shameful and unacceptable" in a post on X. She accused the BJP of employing "double standards" in its treatment of protests by ruling party leaders and opposition MPs.
The standoff between the central investigative agency and the West Bengal government marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political and legal tussle, with both sides digging in for a protracted battle.
