The West Bengal government has approached the Supreme Court with a caveat linked to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) action against political consultancy firm I-PAC, requesting that no decision be taken without giving the state an opportunity to be heard.
A caveat, filed before constitutional courts, is meant to ensure that no adverse direction is issued in the absence of the concerned party.
The step comes amid a widening legal and political battle following searches carried out by the ED at the premises of I-PAC and at the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata on Thursday. The searches were part of a money laundering investigation connected to an alleged multi-crore coal pilferage case, according to the ED.
The ED has also alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee entered the locations during the operation and removed what it described as “key evidence”, including documents and electronic devices. Banerjee has rejected the allegations and accused the agency of overreach.
Subsequently, the ED moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking a probe by the CBI against the chief minister, alleging that incriminating material was taken away from the agency’s custody during the search at Jain’s residence.
Allegations, counter-allegations and political fallout
Speaking at the protest rally against ED's actions on Friday, Mamata Banerjee made sharp allegations, claiming that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari were involved in the coal smuggling case.
She alleged that proceeds of the scam had travelled upward through political channels, saying, “Who gets the coal scam’s money? Amit Shah gets it. The money goes through Suvendu Adhikari… Suvendu Adhikari sends it to Amit Shah.”
She also criticised the detention of Trinamool Congress MPs in Delhi, saying they were “dragged mercilessly” while protesting against the ED raids and the Union home minister. Raising concerns about institutions, she said, “All the agencies have been grabbed,” and questioned the role of election authorities, referring to “vanishing votes” and alleging attempts to undermine voters’ rights.
Banerjee maintained that her presence at the I-PAC office during the raid was justified. “I have done nothing wrong. You have come to kill me. I have the right to defend myself,” she said, alleging that voter-related data and appeals were being taken away.
She claimed that the ED entered early in the morning and that by the time she arrived hours later, material had already been removed. She also said she tried contacting Pratik Jain but received no response, which she described as suspicious.
Street protests and BJP’s response
The controversy spilled onto the streets, with Mamata Banerjee leading a protest in Kolkata against the ED action a day after the incident. She accused the BJP of attempting to come to power in West Bengal through methods used elsewhere. “I never react, but if anyone hurts me, I never spare them,” she said, alleging harassment of local people during verification exercises and claiming that documents were being taken without receipts.
The BJP, meanwhile, organised protests through its Mahila Morcha, staging a march in south Kolkata against what it called interference by the CM in the ED probe. BJP leader Locket Chatterjee alleged that Banerjee intervened because her “life was stuck” in the I-PAC office.
“Yesterday will be marked as a black day in the history of West Bengal,” she said, calling it shameful for a sitting chief minister to use such language against the prime minister and home minister.
At a press conference in Delhi, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned Banerjee’s conduct, alleging she tried to “rescue something sensitive” that could implicate her and her party. “There are a lot of suspicious circumstances surrounding the actions of Mamata Benerjee,” he said, alleging that she intimidated ED officials and left with papers during the search.
Prasad called her actions “unethical, irresponsible and unconstitutional,” and asked what compelled her to intervene in an investigation at a private firm.
What did I-PAC say?
Amid the political storm, I-PAC issued its first response, describing the searches as setting an “unsettling precedent.” The firm said the developments were “difficult and unfortunate” for a professional organisation but stressed that it had extended full cooperation and would continue to do so “in complete accordance and respect for the law.” It added that it would carry on its work “unfazed and unperturbed.”
The consultancy said that it had worked in a professional advisory role with parties across ideologies, including the BJP, Congress, AAP, TMC, JD(U) and Shiv Sena, and clarified, “We do not contest elections or hold political office.”
Political circles noted that the episode unfolded as West Bengal heads toward high-stakes assembly elections.
Banerjee had alleged that the ED was attempting to seize sensitive TMC data linked to polls, while the agency accused her of forcibly removing material. Visuals of files being loaded into the chief minister’s vehicle further intensified the controversy.
What does the petition by the ED say?
Legal proceedings also witnessed turbulence. The Calcutta High Court adjourned hearings related to the ED’s search and seizure operations after chaos erupted in the courtroom. Justice Suvra Ghosh postponed the matter to January 14 after repeated requests to clear the courtroom went unheeded. A request for urgent hearing before the acting chief justice was not entertained.
In its writ petition, the ED accused the West Bengal Police of acting in collusion with the chief minister and obstructing officials in “flagrant and blatant disregard to law.” The agency alleged violations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and claimed that “key incriminating documents” and devices were taken away during the search. It sought judicial intervention to ensure that its investigation could proceed without hindrance.
The ED also stated that the search was “evidence-based and is not targeted at any political establishment,” clarifying that no party office was searched and that the action was unrelated to elections. According to the agency, its investigation traced coal smuggling proceeds and hawala links, alleging that large sums were routed to I-PAC.
ED and TMC in Calcutta HC
With petitions filed by both the ED and the Trinamool Congress, and the West Bengal government moving the Supreme Court with a caveat, the confrontation has entered a complex legal phase. The ED has named Mamata Banerjee as a respondent in its plea, while the TMC has sought restraint on what it calls misuse of seized data.
As the matter awaits further hearings, the episode continues to fuel a sharp political divide, with allegations and denials playing out simultaneously in courts, on the streets, and from public platforms.
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