Kumar Bahukhandi
While Mamata Banerjee claimed that the raid was politically motivated and engineered by the BJP, the ED has denied the allegations, saying it was “not targeted at any political establishment”.-Photo Credit-PTI
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has walked out with a laptop, phone and multiple documents from the house of Pratik Jain, the chief of election consultant IPAC and their offices, during a raid by the Enforcement Directorate, the central agency has alleged. The ED has gone to the High Court, alleging that Banerjee, despite being a Chief Minister, is “obstructing investigation” and “defending those involved in coal smuggling and money laundering”. The court is likely to hear the matter tomorrow.
Banerjee has claimed that the raid is politically motivated and engineered by the BJP. The ED has denied the allegations, saying the search is “evidence-based and is not targeted at any political establishment”.
“No party office has been searched. The search is not linked to any elections and is part of regular crackdown on money laundering. The search is conducted strictly in accordance with established legal safeguards,” the Enforcement Directorate said in a statement.
The family of Pratik Jain has also filed a complaint with the police against the ED, alleging theft of important documents during the raid, the police said.
What Happened At Jain’s Residence
The drama started early as the ED reaching Jain’s residence at 7.30 am. Around noon, the state police showed up, followed by Mamata Banerjee.
“The search action was undertaken in a peaceful manner, till the arrival of Chief Minister of West Bengal along with police personnel and officers of West Bengal administration, who forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidences in two of the premises,” the ED statement read.
“The CPA’s convoy then proceeded to I-PAC’s office premises, from where Ms Banerjee. her aides, and the state police personnel forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidences. The above actions have resulted in obstruction in ongoing investigation and proceedings under the PMLA,” the statement added.
The agency has said that it was conducting searches at 10 premises – six in West Bengal and four in Delhi — in connection with the “coal smuggling syndicate led by Anup Majee that used to steal and illegally excavate coal from ECL leasehold areas of West Bengal”. The search, it said, was being conducted under the anti-money laundering law.
Mamata Banerjee’s Version
Speaking to reporters outside Jain’s residence, Banerjee said the ED officials have “taken our party data, laptop, iPhone and party election strategy including SIR… They have taken our tax papers, our bank account details… You have taken out all data. It is an insult to all the IT sector. Is it not a crime? I am waiting for justice”.
“We are gentle, we are sober, but if you give me pain, I won’t stay quiet. This is not a private organisation. IPAC is authorised by us and they are our team. If we build the data now, the election will be over,” said the Chief Minister, who is hoping for a fourth straight term in the assembly elections due early this year.
Calling the BJP killer of democracy, she questioned if it would be all right if “I raid their party office”.
“In the name of SIR, 1.5 crore voters have been deleted. If you have the courage, fight with us electorally Amit Shah ji,” she added.
Regarding her visit to Jain’s residence, the Chief Minister said, “I was calling Pratik Jain, but he didn’t answer his call. So I found out what happened. Then I went there to his residence and saw the ED”.
BJP Vs Opposition Begins
The matter has sparked another face-off between the BJP and the Opposition.
Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah, the BJP’s Swapan Dasgupta posted on X, formerly Twitter, “When a Chief Minister personally removes ostensibly incriminating documents from an office that is being searched by the ED (or any other empowered body), she is wilfully putting herself above the Constitution & Rule of Law. Are some people more equal than others?”
The Opposition lost no time in hitting back.
“ED now raids political consultants because it has failed to raid facts, truth or credibility. IPAC raid in Kolkata is yet another chapter in the BJP’s playbook of coercion. When democracy is inconvenient, agencies are weaponized,” Congress’s Abhishek Singhvi said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“The BJP is losing badly in Bengal. First proof!” posted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
The Coal Case
According to the Enforcement Directorate, its investigation has revealed that a coal smuggling syndicate allegedly led by Anup Majee was involved in illegal excavation and theft of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited leasehold areas in West Bengal. The illegally mined coal was reportedly sold to factories and plants located in districts including Bankura, Bardhaman and Purulia.
The probe further found that a significant portion of the illegally sourced coal was supplied to the Shakambhari Group of companies. Investigators also uncovered a hawala network allegedly used for layering and transferring the proceeds of crime. Statements and other evidence gathered during the investigation confirmed the hawala nexus, the agency said.
The ED claimed that one hawala operator facilitated transactions involving tens of crores of rupees to Indian Pac Consulting Private Limited (I-PAC), which has emerged as one of the entities linked to the alleged hawala money trail.
