ED moves Supreme Court in I-PAC case, seeks fair probe into State ‘obstruction’ of its raids

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged obstruction of its raids astatine the offices of governmental consultancy steadfast I-PAC and its co-founder Pratik Jain successful Kolkata by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, State officials and different individuals.

The anti-money laundering bureau has argued that the involution of the Chief Minister has derailed a lawful probe into ember smuggling. Vital evidence, some carnal and electeonic, connected to the probe was removed and the raids bulldozed, amounting to a “gross obstruction of justice”. The sites of the raids descended into scenes of a “showdown” done the amerciable involution of the State machinery itself.

The State of West Bengal has already filed a caveat successful the Supreme Court to guarantee that nary ex-parte orders, perchance granting alleviation to the ED, are passed without proceeding it first.

Enforcement directives: On the ED raids successful West Bengal

The ED had besides moved the Calcutta High Court seeking enactment against Ms. Banerjee and officials nether the transgression instrumentality for disrupting the raids conducted successful accordance with the process established by the law. A proceeding held earlier a two-judge Bench of the High Court connected Saturday (January 10, 2026) was adjourned to January 14.

The State has besides moved antagonistic petitions, challenging the ED's version.

The Trinamool Congress had consulted with the steadfast implicit the past fewer years and I-PAC had helped the enactment signifier its electoral and governmental strategy successful the 2021 Assembly predetermination and consequent elections successful West Bengal.

The ED said that the raid was connected to a probe into a ember smuggling syndicate and entities linked to hawala money, and was conducted strictly successful accordance with established ineligible safeguards.

“It is clarified that the hunt is evidence-based and is not targeted astatine immoderate governmental establishment. No enactment bureau has been searched. The hunt is not linked to immoderate elections, and is portion of regular crackdown connected wealth laundering,” the bureau had claimed successful a statement.