The Supreme Court has begun hearing a high-profile case involving the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the political consultancy firm I-PAC. During the proceedings, the central agency leveled serious allegations against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of forcibly entering a crime scene and removing crucial evidence.
The ₹20 Crore Trail
Representing the ED, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Bipul Manubhai Pancholi that the agency was investigating the coal pilferage scam. According to the ED, their probe tracked a sum of ₹20 crore in illicit funds transferred from Kolkata to Goa.
The agency identified Prateek Jain, a key figure at I-PAC, as a primary beneficiary of this transaction. Based on this specific intelligence, ED officials conducted raids on January 8 at both the I-PAC office and Jain’s residence.
Allegations of Interference
The Solicitor General detailed a dramatic sequence of events that allegedly unfolded during the search:
Police Intervention: Initially, a local police officer arrived and ordered the federal agents to stop their investigation.
CM’s Entry: Shortly after, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allegedly arrived at the location with a large police contingent and entered the premises by force.
Removal of Evidence: The ED claims that despite officials showing their identity cards, the Chief Minister left the premises carrying a “green file” containing incriminating digital evidence and documents seized by the agency.
TMC vs ED Legal Battle Intensifies
This Supreme Court hearing follows a recent setback for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the High Court. The party had previously alleged that the ED’s raid was a ploy to “steal their election strategy.” However, the High Court dismissed those claims yesterday.
The ED maintains that the Chief Minister’s actions constituted a direct obstruction of justice. While the TMC has characterized the raids as political vendetta, the Solicitor General argued in court that the agency was strictly following a legal mandate to recover proceeds of crime.
The Supreme Court is expected to continue hearing arguments regarding the alleged disappearance of the seized documents and the conduct of the state police during the federal raid.