Two FIRs have been filed so far following the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on the office of the political consultancy I-PAC in Kolkata. One FIR was filed suo motu by the police against ED officials for allegedly manhandling police personnel and conducting the raid without informing the local police station. The second FIR was lodged by the family of consultancy chief Pratik Jain, alleging the theft of important documents by ED officials, according to ANI.
In another significant development in the case, the Trinamool Congress approached the Calcutta High Court, alleging that ED officials forcibly attempted to take away files and documents related to the party. The probe agency has already filed a plea in the court, claiming illegal interference during its search operations.
The matter will be taken up by the court on Friday.
Mamata announces protest rally against ED
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced she will lead a protest rally on Friday in response to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids. She described the searches as politically motivated, coming just months before the state assembly elections.
Speaking at the inauguration of a transit camp at Babughat for the Gangasagar Mela, Banerjee accused central agencies of targeting her government at the behest of BJP.
"If they attack us over SIR, make out a false case against me or try to steal our documents, should I not try to resist such attempts?" she asked.
"They have stolen everything, all data, SIR list. Tomorrow I will lead a protest rally from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Hazra crossing,” the CM added.
BJP seeks action against CM Banerjee
West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, has called for strict legal action against Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of interfering with the ED investigation into a money laundering case linked to a coal smuggling syndicate.
About ED raids in Kolkata
The controversy unfolded when Banerjee visited the residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain and the main office of the Trinamool Congress’s election advisor while ED officials were conducting searches. She claimed the agency was trying to seize internal party documents, hard drives, and sensitive digital data related to TMC’s election strategies.
In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Banerjee’s actions, stating that politicising a lawful investigation undermines public confidence in constitutional authorities and weakens the rule of law.
The BJP emphasised that attempts to obstruct investigative agencies should be treated seriously and warned that such actions could damage institutional credibility.
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