ED vs West Bengal Government: Supreme Court Hearing on I-PAC Raid Controversy

Conflict Between ED and West Bengal Government Escalates

The ongoing clash between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the West Bengal government has intensified once again. Today, the ED filed a new petition in the Supreme Court regarding the raid on the political consulting firm I-PAC, demanding the immediate suspension of West Bengal's Director General of Police (DGP), Rajeev Kumar.

Background of the Dispute

This controversy stems from a raid conducted on January 8 in Kolkata. The ED's team searched the residence and office of I-PAC director Prateek Jain. The agency alleges that during this operation, DGP Rajeev Kumar and other senior officials obstructed the agency's work and directly interfered with the investigation process.

Allegations Against Rajeev Kumar

The ED claims that during the search at Prateek Jain's home, Kumar and other top officials intervened. The agency questioned Kumar's conduct, noting that he had previously participated in a protest alongside Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when he was the Kolkata Police Commissioner.

Supreme Court Proceedings

The Supreme Court is set to hear the ED's petition today, which accuses Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of obstructing the search operation at I-PAC's Kolkata office. This petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, will be reviewed by a bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi.

Key Respondents in the Case

In addition to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the ED has named the West Bengal government, Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, and Deputy Commissioner of South Kolkata Priyabrata Roy as respondents in this matter.

Details of the Raid

This petition is linked to an incident from last week when ED officials were conducting a search at the I-PAC office in Kolkata as part of a money laundering investigation related to an alleged coal scam. According to the central agency, Mamata Banerjee arrived at the scene during the search and engaged in a dispute with the officers on duty. The ED further alleged that the Chief Minister removed some files from the office during the operation, significantly hindering the investigation.

ED's Arguments

In its petition, the ED argued that the presence of the Chief Minister at the search site created an intimidating atmosphere for the officers, compromising the agency's ability to perform its legal duties independently. The agency also accused the state administration of repeatedly obstructing the investigation and failing to cooperate.

FIR Against ED Officials

Following these events, the West Bengal police filed an FIR against ED officials, further escalating the conflict between the state government and the central agency. Citing these incidents, the ED has requested the Supreme Court to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct an independent inquiry, arguing that a neutral central agency is necessary given the alleged interference by the state government.

Previous Court Actions

Before approaching the Supreme Court, the ED sought security and appropriate directives from the Calcutta High Court regarding this incident. On Wednesday, the Calcutta High Court dismissed a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress, stating that the ED had not seized any documents or materials from the I-PAC office or Prateek Jain.

Nature of the Investigation

This dispute originated from the ED's raids on locations associated with I-PAC in Kolkata, which the agency claims are part of an investigation into a multi-crore coal scam. The ED has alleged that approximately ₹10 crore of illicit funds were funneled to I-PAC through hawala channels, and that the Trinamool Congress paid for services rendered by this political consultancy during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections.