In an unprecedented move, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stormed into the residence of Prateek Jain, the director of political consultancy firm I-PAC, and took away key evidences as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was conducting a search in a money laundering case by a coal smuggling syndicate of the state, the probe agency alleged in a statement on Thursday, January 8.
Banerjee, on the other hand, said that the ED was attempting to seize the Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) internal documents, hard disks and sensitive data linked to its election strategy. She alleged the raid at the residence and offices of Jain, “the in-charge of my IT cell,” was politically motivated and unconstitutional.
The TMC supremo arrived at Jain’s residence around 1 pm, minutes after Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma reached the spot, and stayed for 20-25 minutes before emerging with a green folder in her hand.
In a statement, the central probe stated that the search proceedings were being conducted in a peaceful and professional manner, “till the arrival of West Bengal Chief Minister” and a “large number of police officials.”
“Ms. Banerjee entered the residential premises of Prateek Jain, and took away key evidences including physical documents and electronic devices. The CM’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 Prevention of Money Laundering App (PMLA),” the ED said.
Meanwhile, the ED has moved the Calcutta High Court, alleging interference during searches at the office and residence of the I-PAC’s chief. The agency’s counsel brought the matter before Justice Suvra Ghosh, seeking the court’s intervention to ensure the probe proceeds without hindrance. The court granted permission to the ED to file a petition with regard to the prayer. It is likely to be taken up for hearing soon, a lawyer connected with the matter told news agency PTI.
I-PAC, too, moved the High Court over the central agency’s searches at the office and residence of Jain, challenging the legality of the exercise.
How the day unfolded
The ED began raiding Jain’s residence at 7:30 am on Thursday in connection with a money laundering probe into an alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam.
At around 1 pm, Banerjee reached the I-PAC’s Sector-V office. By then, senior officers of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate had cordoned off the area, while several local TMC leaders and ministers, including Bidhannagar Mayor Krishna Chakraborty and state minister Sujit Bose, were already present, along with Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar.
Central forces had sealed the entry and exit points of the multi-storey building where I-PAC’s office is located. Without engaging with central force personnel, Banerjee accessed the building through the basement and took a general lift to reach the 11th floor, where the office is situated, despite a separate VIP lift arrangement being available.
Sources told PTI that several files were brought out of the office during the search and placed in the Chief Minister’s vehicle while she was still at Jain’s residence.
“They have taken our election strategy, our Special Intensive Revision (SIR) data and other details. If the assembly polls pass and we have to draw up election plans afresh, who will be responsible?” the CM asked.
“The BJP is the murderer of democracy. Names of over 15 lakh people have been deleted through the SIR process. Do they think they can capture the state by deleting voters and raiding the IT cell offices of political parties?” she said.
She dared the BJP to fight her party politically if they want to win Bengal, adding that she would remain at the I-PAC office until Jain arrived and resumed work.
She left the I-PAC office at around 4:14 pm, after Jain came to his office.
Mamata calls for dharna
Later at the inauguration of a transit camp at Babughat for the Gangasagar Mela, the West Bengal Chief Minister announced a protest rally on Friday, January 9, against the ED. She asked people to participate in the over 5-km-long rally from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Hazra crossing.
Challenging the Centre over the searches, she said, “Tomorrow I will lead a protest rally from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Hazra crossing.”
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, demanded strong legal action against Banerjee for allegedly interfering in the job of the ED. “I am not privy to the investigation details that prompted the ongoing ED raids. But I can tell you this is not the first time that Mamata Banerjee has made direct interference in the job of a central investigating agency,” Adhikari said.
The episode is reminiscent of a dramatic standoff in 2019 at the same Loudon Street area, when the CBI searched the bungalow of then police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, prompting Banerjee to rush to the spot and later stage a dharna in central Kolkata.
(With inputs from PTI)
