In a significant escalation of the I-PAC raid controversy, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Supreme Court with a new petition. The agency is demanding the immediate removal of West Bengal’s Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar, accusing him of obstructing central agency operations.
The case stems from ED raids conducted on the offices of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), a key election strategy firm linked to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC). These raids, part of a larger probe into alleged money laundering during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, uncovered documents suggesting massive financial irregularities.
ED officials claim that DGP Rajeev Kumar personally intervened during the operations, deploying state police forces to halt the searches and detain ED teams. This confrontation highlights deepening tensions between the Bengal government and central investigative agencies ahead of state polls.
The fresh plea details multiple instances where state machinery allegedly shielded I-PAC operatives from questioning. It argues that the DGP’s continued tenure compromises the integrity of ongoing investigations into cattle smuggling, coal scams, and election fund diversions totaling over ₹100 crore.
Legal experts view this as a direct challenge to federal probe mechanisms. ‘The Supreme Court must intervene to ensure central agencies can function without state interference,’ said a former judge. Bengal’s law minister countered, calling it a ‘political vendetta’ by the BJP-led center.
As the petition awaits listing, political circles buzz with speculation. Will the apex court order the DGP’s transfer, echoing its 2019 directive in a similar chit fund case? The outcome could reshape Bengal’s law enforcement landscape and impact TMC’s poll preparations.