I-Pac Raids: ED Moves Supreme Court Against West Bengal Govt Alleges Raid Disruption in Coal Scam Case
ED moved the Supreme Court accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state officials of obstructing its I-PAC raids in the coal scam probe
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Supreme Court, accusing the West Bengal government, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, of interference and obstruction during its search and investigation at the I-PAC office and the residence of its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata, in connection with the coal pilferage money-laundering case.
According to reports, the ED has alleged that the state administration and senior officials obstructed its probe, disrupting an ongoing search operation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency’s petition seeks the Supreme Court’s intervention to ensure unhindered investigation into the alleged transfer of hawala funds linked to the coal scam to political consultancy firm I-PAC, which has worked with the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
In a parallel move, the West Bengal government has also filed a caveat in the Apex Court, urging that no order be passed without hearing its side in the matter. A caveat, under Section 148A of the Code of Civil Procedure, ensures that the court does not issue any ex parte orders against a party without granting it an opportunity to be heard.
The ED’s plea comes days after it moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking a CBI inquiry into the alleged obstruction of its searches by the state police and senior officials. The agency had earlier claimed that Chief Minister Banerjee entered the raid premises and took away digital devices and key evidence, violating search protocols.
The development comes in the backdrop of searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday (January 8) at multiple premises linked to I-PAC and Pratik Jain in Kolkata. The searches were carried out as part of a money laundering investigation connected to an alleged multi-crore coal pilferage scam.
According to the Enforcement Directorate, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allegedly entered one of the raid locations during the search operation and removed “key” evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices. The agency has claimed that the materials were taken away from its custody. Banerjee, however, has strongly denied the allegations and accused the central agency of acting beyond its authority.
On Friday (January 9), the Enforcement Directorate approached the Calcutta High Court seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Banerjee. The ED alleged that the Chief Minister, with the assistance of the state police, interfered with the search proceedings and removed incriminating documents during the raid conducted at Pratik Jain’s residence.
The ED has already filed a petition before the Calcutta High Court, seeking a CBI investigation into the role of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, senior police officials, and others for allegedly impeding its raids. The searches were conducted on January 8, in connection with a coal scam-linked money laundering case, with additional raids taking place in Delhi and other parts of West Bengal.
In its plea, the ED sought immediate seizure, sealing, and forensic preservation of the digital devices and documents allegedly “forcibly taken away” from the site. The petition also requested the High Court to pass interim orders restraining access, deletion, or tampering of the seized data.
The agency further claimed that local witnesses to the raid, referred to as panch witnesses; were “hijacked” by state officials and allegedly coerced into recording that the search had been peaceful and nothing incriminating was found. “The witnesses were made to record false statements contrary to the true facts,” the petition alleged.
Banerjee, however, hit back at the ED, accusing it of acting as a political tool of the BJP to “steal” her party’s internal strategy. On Friday, she led a 10-kilometre protest march from Jadavpur to Hazra Crossing in Kolkata, asserting that she had done nothing illegal. “I intervened as the TMC chairperson, not as chief minister. They came to steal my party data. I will expose everything if needed,” she declared at the rally.
The Calcutta High Court proceedings took an unusual turn on January 9, when Justice Suvra Ghosh, hearing multiple related petitions, left the courtroom citing excessive crowding. The matter is now expected to be taken up again on Wednesday, i.e. January 14, as the court remains closed for the weekend.
Case Title: Directorate of Enforcement v. State of West Bengal
Bench: Supreme Court of India (hearing expected)