ED alleges ‘key evidence’ taken, explores Supreme Court route as Mamata calls raids 'chori'

Agency alleges obstruction during searches and claims Rs 20 crore hawala transfers to I-PAC; Mamata Banerjee denies wrongdoing and leads protest.

• ED may approach Supreme Court over alleged obstruction during I-PAC raids
• ED claims Rs 20 crore hawala funds linked to coal scam transferred to I-PAC
• Mamata Banerjee denies wrongdoing, leads protest against ED actions

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The Enforcement Directorate is likely to approach the Supreme Court in the alleged obstruction of its raids on political consultancy firm I-PAC, legal sources told News18. The agency’s legal team is considering all options, including seeking adjudication by the top court for a “fair” hearing, the sources said.

The move comes a day after the ED approached the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged role of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, senior police officials and others for purportedly obstructing searches in Kolkata.

What the ED alleges

In its High Court petition, the ED sought “immediate seizure, sealing, forensic preservation, and restoration to lawful custody” of all digital devices, electronic records, storage media and documents it claims were “illegally and forcibly” taken away from the search premises.

The searches were conducted on Thursday at the Salt Lake office of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and at locations linked to its founder and director Pratik Jain, as part of an alleged coal scam–linked money laundering case. Other locations in West Bengal and Delhi were also raided.

The agency alleged in a press statement that Banerjee entered Jain’s Loudon Road residence during the raids and “took away key evidence,” followed by similar action at the I-PAC office.

Rs 20 crore hawala claim

The ED claimed in court filings that about Rs 20 crore of hawala funds generated from alleged coal pilferage in West Bengal were transferred to I-PAC. “Concrete material found during investigation revealed that at least Rs 20 crore worth of proceeds of crime was transferred to IPAC through hawala channels,” the petition said, adding that the searches were initiated to trace proceeds and their utilisation.

The ED further alleged that despite a “categorical request” not to interfere under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Banerjee, “with the aid of police personnel,” forcibly took possession of digital devices and incriminating documents around 12:15 pm.

It also claimed ‘panch’ witnesses were “effectively hijacked” and made to record that the search was peaceful and yielded nothing, rather than stating that devices were forcibly taken. The agency sought interim restraint on any access, deletion, cloning or tampering of the disputed devices and records.

Mamata protests, denies wrongdoing

On Friday, Banerjee led a nearly 10-km protest march from Jadavpur to Hazra crossing, accusing the ED of acting as a political tool of the BJP to “steal” her party’s internal strategy ahead of the 2026 Assembly election.

Addressing a rally, she said she intervened at the raid site as TMC chairperson, not as chief minister. “I have done nothing illegal,” she said, alleging the agency entered early in the morning and that by the time she reached at 11.45 am, “many things might have been stolen.”

Court proceedings and next steps

A Calcutta High Court bench hearing multiple petitions on the matter adjourned on Friday after the judge cited excessive crowding. With the court closed over the weekend, the matter is listed for Wednesday.

Separately, the Trinamool Congress moved the High Court seeking restraint on “misuse and dissemination” of documents seized during the searches.