ED, I-PAC face-off at Cal HC: Central agency flags ‘obstruction’ by Mamata; committee questions raid legitimacy

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate and I-PAC moved the Calcutta high court following the ED's raid at the office and residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain. ED moved the court alleging obstruction and interference in the investigations after Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee arrived at the officer's residence. I-PAC, on the other hand, moved the court questioning the legality of the raids, news agency PTI reported.The cases are mentioned before justice Suvra Ghosh, and the hearing is expected to be scheduled on Friday. On the same day, CM Mamata Banerjee has also announced a protest march against the agency's raids. The ED claimed that the chief minister entered Jain’s residence and I-PAC office during the investigation. It said the CM and her aides forcibly removed crucial evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices. The agency has requested the high court’s intervention to ensure its investigation proceeds without obstruction, PTI reported.Also read: ED's big charge against Mamata; raids linked to coal case trigger rowDuring the raids, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee arrived at Jain's residence in South Kolkata first and later at the I-PAC corporate office in Salt Lake. She alleged that the central agency was attempting to seize TMC's internal documents, hard disks and sensitive election strategy-related data.The chief minister accused the Centre of holding a political vendetta and alleged that central agencies were being misused ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections. She also lashed out at home minister Amit Shah, questioning whether going through the party's internal documents was a part of ED's job.Also read: Mamata reaches chief’s house during ED raid, hits out at Amit Shah; asks ‘Is this home minister's job?’"..Is it the duty of the ED, Amit Shah, to collect the party's hard disk, candidate list?... The nasty, naughty Home Minister who cannot protect the country and is taking away all my party documents. What will be the result if I raid the BJP party office? " she questioned while addressing the media outside Pratik Jain's residence during the ED raids.She also targeted the SIR revisions going on in the state, claiming that the Centre was deleting voters' names ahead of the elections.The agency conducted raids at 15 locations in six states on Thursday. It included the residence of the I-PAC chief in respect to a money laundering probe into an alleged scam, involving allegations of illegal mining, money laundering, and political connections.Also read: ED raids IPAC chief Prateek Jain’s home; West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee targets Amit ShahMeanwhile, the raids at the office were conducted regarding the alleged fake government job scam.I-PAC is the political consultant for Mamata Banerjee's party, TMC, and also looks after IT and media cell of the party.