Enforcement Directorate chief Rahul Navin is scheduled to visit Calcutta on Thursday to “review the ongoing probe into the alleged coal smuggling scam” and discuss the security concerns of the local ED establishment, days after chief minister Mamata Banerjee disrupted the agency’s raids in Calcutta.
Sources described Navin’s trip as “routine”, but a senior official said his visit was “aimed at boosting the morale of his officials” and ensuring they were able to discharge their duties amidst the escalating friction between the state administration and the central probe agency.
Mamata had entered the sites of the ED’s raids at I-PAC properties on January 8 in connection with the alleged coal scam and taken away files she claimed contained sensitive information on her party’s poll plans. I-PAC has been the Trinamool Congress’s poll consultant for long.
“During his visit, the director will review the ongoing probes by agency officials into several cases in the eastern region, especially the alleged coal smuggling. He will also meet the local team that carried out the searches earlier this month at I-PAC’s office and the residence of its chief (Pratik Jain),” said an agency official.
The agency official added: “The director is also expected to discuss the security concerns of local ED officials.”
Navin is expected to meet Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose, too.
The 1993-batch Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) official, who earlier served as ED special director, was appointed the agency’s director in August 2024 for two years.
“He will chair a meeting with his officials at the Salt Lake office and is expected to take feedback from them on the overall working conditions and the security arrangements for them against the backdrop of the recent developments,” the ED official said.
Mamata has accused the ED of attempting to seize Trinamool’s internal data and election strategy ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls during the searches at the I-PAC properties.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing the ED’s appeal for action against Mamata and senior Bengal bureaucrats, as well as a CBI probe.
In 2024, Navin had visited the ED office in Calcutta immediately after an agency team was attacked in Sandeshkhali when they attempted to question Trinamool strongman Sheikh Shahjahan. Three ED officers were injured and several agency vehicles vandalised by Shahjahan’s supporters.