I-PAC raids: Bengal moves Supreme Court as case escalates

I-PAC raids: The West Bengal government has moved the Supreme Court by filing a caveat in connection with the Enforcement Directorate’s raids on political consultancy firm I-PAC, seeking to ensure that no order is passed without hearing the state’s arguments.

A caveat is a legal safeguard filed in the Supreme Court or high courts to prevent any adverse interim order being issued without giving the concerned party an opportunity to be heard.

The move follows searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday at the Kolkata premises of I-PAC and its director, Pratik Jain, as part of a money-laundering investigation linked to an alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam.


The agency has alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee entered the raid locations and removed what it described as “key” evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices. Banerjee has rejected the charge, accusing the central agency of overreach.

The standoff intensified on Friday when the ED approached the Calcutta High Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe against Banerjee. The agency claimed that she, aided by the state police, took away incriminating material from its custody during the search at Jain’s residence.