The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court, alleging that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee obstructed the agency’s officials during search operations. The ED claimed that the Chief Minister, along with senior police officials, interfered with the search at the India Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office and the residence of I-PAC co-founder Pratik Jain.
The ED denied allegations made by the Chief Minister that documents belonging to the Trinamool Congress were stolen during the searches. The matter has been admitted by Justice Suvra Ghosh, and a hearing is scheduled for the following day. The ED clarified that the searches were part of an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) related to an alleged coal smuggling syndicate.
The agency emphasized that the search operations were not politically motivated and were conducted in accordance with legal procedures. The ED stated that the Chief Minister’s actions led to obstruction in the ongoing investigation. The West Bengal BJP expressed support for the ED, emphasizing the importance of allowing law enforcement agencies to function independently without political interference.
