The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on January 8, 2026, at the offices of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) in Kolkata and Delhi, as well as the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, as part of a money laundering investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The searches, spanning 10 locations including six in West Bengal and four in Delhi, targeted alleged hawala transactions and cash dealings linked to illegal coal smuggling from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) leasehold areas in West Bengal's Kunustoria and Kajora regions near Asansol.
The probe originates from a November 2020 CBI FIR against coal trader Anup Majee (alias Lala), accused of leading a syndicate that illegally excavated and sold coal to factories in Bankura, Bardhaman, and Purulia districts. ED investigations revealed proceeds of crime, including tens of crores routed through hawala operators, were layered and transferred to entities like I-PAC. Specific evidence against Jain, an IIT-Bombay alumnus and Trinamool Congress (TMC) IT cell head, emerged from statements, seized records, and digital trails showing hawala links to coal smuggling funds allegedly used for TMC's 2022 Goa election campaign.
High drama unfolded at Jain's Loudon Street residence when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived around noon with state police, including Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal. Banerjee, who called Jain the "in-charge of my IT cell," accused ED of seizing TMC's internal documents, hard disks, laptops, and election strategies, including candidate lists. She was seen leaving with a green file marked "February 2022" and other items, later telling reporters, "Is it the duty of Home Minister Amit Shah and ED to take away all my party documents?"
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ED condemned Banerjee's intervention as obstruction, stating searches proceeded peacefully until her arrival with police personnel, who allegedly forcibly removed physical documents and electronic devices from Jain's home and I-PAC's Salt Lake office. The agency approached the Calcutta High Court, accusing the Chief Minister of tampering with evidence in a non-political, evidence-based PMLA probe unrelated to elections. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari called it "unconstitutional interference."
Pratik Jain, I-PAC co-founder (with Prashant Kishor) and key TMC strategist behind its 2021 assembly poll victory, heads the firm's West Bengal operations. ED clarified no party offices were searched, emphasizing the action targets coal smuggling proceeds, previously linked to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee (questioned alongside his wife Rujira), and arrests of party leaders. I-PAC has not issued a formal response.
The raids, ahead of West Bengal's 2026 assembly elections, have intensified political tensions. Banerjee vowed street protests on January 9, alleging a vendetta by the BJP-led Centre, while ED reiterated the probe's focus on financial trails from the 2020 scam, with no electoral motive. The Calcutta High Court is set to hear ED's plea soon, amid ongoing investigations into the multi-crore coal pilferage racket.
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