ED Approaches Calcutta High Court Against Alleged Interference By CM Mamata Banerjee During I-PAC Raids

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday approached the Calcutta High Court, alleging obstruction of its ongoing money-laundering investigation in the 2020 coal scam and interference by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during search operations conducted earlier in the day at premises linked to the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC).

In its petition filed before the High Court, the central agency has urged judicial intervention over what it describes as “hindrance and obstruction” caused by the Chief Minister to its officers executing searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

According to the ED, its searches at the residential premises of Pratik Jain, director of I-PAC, and at the consultancy's Salt Lake office in Kolkata were proceeding “peacefully and professionally” until Ms. Banerjee arrived with senior state police officials.

The agency claims that the Chief Minister entered the residence and removed key evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices, and thereafter proceeded to the I-PAC office, where similar removal of material took place.

The ED statement filed before the High Court, emphasises that its actions were evidence-based and legally mandated, pointing to a broader money-laundering probe linked to alleged hawala transactions from 2020 involving an operator connected with coal smuggling and associated funds.

Notably, the West Bengal Chief Minister alleges that the Agency was used by the Centre to remove sensitive election-related documents from IPACs office, which manages the Trinamool Congress' election campaign.

Reportedly, the Bidhannagar police has registered FIRs against ED members of the raiding party over allegations of criminal intimidation and trespass. 

Notably, this significant escalation of tensions between the state and centre come just a few months before West Bengal is set to vote in the 2026 Assembly Elections.