NEW DELHI: The West Bengal government has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court in connection with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on political consultancy firm I-PAC, seeking that no order be passed without hearing the state. A caveat allows a party to ensure that no adverse order is issued without its representation.
The ED on Thursday conducted searches at the premises of I-PAC and its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged multi-crore coal pilferage scam. The agency has alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee entered the raid site and took away “key evidence,” including physical documents and electronic devices. Banerjee, however, has accused the central agency of overreach.
On Friday, the ED approached the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe against the Chief Minister, alleging that she, with the assistance of the state police, removed incriminating documents from the agency’s custody during the raid at Jain’s residence. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court adjourned the hearing in the ED versus Trinamool Congress (TMC) matter, citing an unconducive atmosphere in the courtroom due to heavy congestion. The case has been listed for hearing on January 14, 2026.
In its 28-page writ petition to the High Court, the ED accused the West Bengal Police of obstructing its officials during the January 8 search operation, alleging “flagrant and blatant disregard to law” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The agency said it invoked the High Court’s writ jurisdiction to “instil public confidence” and to stop what it termed as overreach by the state police and the Chief Minister.
Reacting to Mamata Banerjee’s remarks that I-PAC was an authorised team of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), the BJP’s West Bengal unit raised objections, questioning the presence of government documents at the consultancy’s office. In a post on X, the party alleged that bureaucrats appeared to be reporting to a private agency and termed the situation a “direct challenge to the Constitution,” demanding clarification from the Chief Minister. Earlier in the day, several TMC MPs were detained in New Delhi while protesting outside Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s office against the ED raid. Condemning the detentions, Banerjee termed the action “shameful and unacceptable,” accusing the BJP of double standards in dealing with protests by opposition leaders.
