The Enforcement Directorate knocked on the doors of Calcutta High Court on Thursday, soon after Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee barged into the home of political consultancy firm I-PAC’s chief Pratik Jain and walked out with files and a cellphone even as an ED raid was on there.
The ED officials on Thursday morning raided the office of the I-PAC, which has been working with the Trinamool Congress and the Bengal government post-2019 Lok Sabha polls and which was instrumental in the party returning to power in the 2021 Assembly polls with a thumping majority and also the good showing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Sources said the ED counsel moved the court of Justice Suvra Ghosh and a hearing could be held on Friday.
“West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee entered Pratik Jain’s residence, took away key evidence including physical documents, electronic devices,” the ED said in a statement. “Mamata Banerjee’s convoy then proceeded to the I-PAC office from where the CM, her aides, police forcibly removed documents, electronic devices.”
ED officials insisted that the raid was carried out on the basis of credible evidence.
“A person holding a constitutional post misused her authority to take away files,” the central agency’s statement said.
“The raid was carried out based on evidence and did not target any political party or any organisation. In connection with a case of coal smuggling raids were carried out in 10 different locations in West Bengal and Delhi. Four of these locations are in Delhi and six in Calcutta. The raids were carried out in connection with some hawala transactions. The raid has got nothing to do with elections.”
Mamata directed her ire at Union home minister Amit Shah – the ED functions under the Union home ministry – of using the central agency to “steal” the Trinamool’s election strategy including list of probable candidates and campaign plan.
The chief minister, known for taking her political battles to the streets, did not miss the chance to seize control of a situation that could have spiralled beyond control. After radio silence for hours since the raid began early Thursday morning, Trinamool leaders and the I-PAC issued statements.
The chief minister’s actions buoyed the mood in the Trinamool rank and file and also drew flak from the Opposition.
“When a chief minister personally removes ostensibly incriminating documents from an office that is being searched by the ED – or any other empowered central body – she is wilfully putting herself above the Constitution and rule of law,” said BJP ideologue Swapan Dasgupta. “Are some people more equal than others?”
Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari demanded that the ED lodge an FIR against the chief minister.
Both the CPM and the Congress said the events of Thursday appeared to be stage managed.
CPM state secretary Mohammad Salim said, “Drama over the raid is being carried out, but the truth will emerge. What is Jain’s role in the Trinamool that the CM had to rush to his residence and office while a raid was on? I-PAC is a private company, if it is raided, why should the chief minister visit?”
Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar questioned why the CM’s actions.
“Why did the CM with the Commissioner of Police visit the office of I-PAC, a private organisation when ED officials were conducting a raid? Under what law could she bring out files while the raid was on? How could the ED officials allow her to walk out? Doesn’t it imply this was a politics of understanding?” Sarkar asked.
“This is another example of the binary politics being played out in Bengal. Both Didi and Modi are trying to hoodwink the people,” he added.
