The Union Home Ministry has requested a comprehensive report from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the events of January 8. This request pertains to the simultaneous raid and search operations conducted by the ED at the Kolkata office of the India Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of I-PAC co-founder Pratik Jain. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited both locations during these operations, accompanied by state officials.
Following Mamata Banerjee’s visits, the Union Home Ministry, under Amit Shah’s leadership, has asked the ED for a detailed account of the events. The ED, a branch of the Union Finance Ministry, has already submitted a report to its parent ministry and will now provide a separate report to the Union Home Ministry. Additionally, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which supported the ED officials during the operations, has also submitted a report to the Union Home Ministry.
The Union Home Ministry has specifically requested details from the ED regarding any challenges faced by the state administrative machinery during the raids. This includes seeking information on the involvement of senior police and administrative officers from the state government who accompanied the Chief Minister during the operations. Reports will be prepared by the ED’s Kolkata office and forwarded to the Union Home Ministry via their headquarters in New Delhi.
Calcutta High Court is set to hear three petitions related to the ED’s operations on Thursday. The primary petition accuses Mamata Banerjee of obstructing the duties of Central agency officials during the raids. Two counter-petitions have been filed in response to this accusation, one by Pratik Jain and the other by the Trinamool Congress.
