Kolkata High Court witnessed a dramatic turn on Monday as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a petition accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of deliberately obstructing their investigation into the high-profile I-PAC raids. The agency claims the CM’s public statements and political interference have compromised the probe into alleged money laundering activities linked to the political consultancy firm.
The controversy erupted following ED’s coordinated raids last week across multiple locations associated with Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), a firm credited with shaping electoral strategies for Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) in recent polls. Sources within the ED reveal that documents seized point to suspicious financial transactions worth crores, potentially funneled through shell companies to fund election campaigns.
In a bold move, ED counsel argued before the court that Mamata Banerjee’s televised address, where she labeled the raids as ‘politically motivated vendetta,’ amounted to witness tampering and intimidation. ‘The Chief Minister’s reckless comments have created an atmosphere of fear among potential witnesses,’ the petition states, urging the court to issue directives restraining political leaders from commenting on ongoing investigations.
TMC leaders dismissed the allegations as ‘baseless BJP propaganda,’ vowing to counter the petition robustly. Party spokesperson Derek O’Brien questioned the timing of ED’s court move, coinciding with upcoming assembly bypolls. Meanwhile, opposition parties in Bengal, including BJP and CPI(M), have demanded a thorough judicial inquiry, alleging deep-rooted corruption within the ruling dispensation.
Legal experts observing the case predict a protracted battle, with implications for federal-state investigative dynamics. The High Court has scheduled the next hearing in two days, keeping the political corridors buzzing with anticipation. As this unfolds, questions loom over the autonomy of central agencies operating in politically charged environments.