ED Seeks Suspension of Bengal DGP Ahead of Supreme Court Hearing on I-PAC Raids

Before the Supreme Court takes up the matter related to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raids on political consulting firm I-PAC, the central agency has filed an additional plea seeking the suspension of West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar. The ED has alleged that Kumar, along with other senior police officials, actively obstructed and interfered with its search operations carried out on January 8 at the Kolkata residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain.

The political consulting firm I-PAC is currently associated with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool congress (TMC) and has been working on the party’s electoral strategy for the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections scheduled later this year.

In its petition before the apex court, the ED has strongly criticised the conduct of Rajeev Kumar, alleging that he had earlier participated in a public dharna alongside Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during his tenure as Kolkata Police Commissioner. According to the agency, such actions raise serious questions about institutional neutrality and conflict of interest.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the ED’s plea later today. The matter will be considered by a bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Vipul M. Pancholi. The petition has been filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, with the ED alleging that constitutional and statutory duties were impeded during the enforcement action.

Apart from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the ED has named several respondents in the case, including West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, South Kolkata Deputy Commissioner Priyabatra Roy, and the State of West Bengal.

The plea stems from events that unfolded last week when ED officials conducted searches at I-PAC’s Kolkata office as part of an ongoing money laundering probe linked to the alleged coal scam. The agency has claimed that senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including the Chief Minister herself, arrived at the premises during the operation and confronted on-duty ED officers.

According to the ED, Mamata Banerjee allegedly removed certain documents from the premises during the search, an act the agency claims significantly hampered the investigation. The ED has argued that such actions compromised the integrity of the search process and obstructed lawful enforcement.

The central agency has further contended that the presence of the Chief Minister and senior state officials at the search site created an atmosphere of intimidation, adversely affecting the officers’ ability to discharge their statutory functions independently. The ED has also alleged a pattern of non-cooperation by the West Bengal government throughout the course of the probe.

Tensions escalated further after the West Bengal Police lodged a formal complaint against ED officials involved in the searches. Citing these developments, the ED has urged the Supreme Court to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry out an impartial probe, arguing that a neutral central agency is essential given the alleged influence of the state administration.

Prior to approaching the Supreme Court, the ED had also moved the Calcutta High Court seeking protection and appropriate directions. However, a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress was dismissed after the High Court recorded the ED’s submission that it had not seized any documents or materials from Pratik Jain or the I-PAC office.

The controversy erupted following ED raids at multiple Kolkata locations linked to I-PAC, which the agency maintains are part of its investigation into a multi-crore coal smuggling scam. The ED has alleged that I-PAC received approximately Rs 10 crore in proceeds of crime through hawala channels.

The agency has further claimed that the Trinamool Congress made payments to the political consultancy firm for services rendered during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections. The investigation remains ongoing, with today’s Supreme Court hearing expected to play a crucial role in determining the future course of action.