Only Supreme Court can rein in ED: Sibal after raids on I-PAC

New Delhi: A day after the ED conducted searches at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday said federalism is at ED's mercy and asserted that only the Supreme Court can rein in the probe agency. Sibal's remarks came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) action in West Bengal ignited high drama, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unexpectedly storming into the sites during raids, alleging that the central agency was trying to seize the TMC's sensitive data ahead of the high-stakes state polls. The ED, which maintained that the searches were part of a money laundering probe into an alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam, accused Banerjee of obstructing a lawful investigation and claimed that she and the state police forcibly removed "key evidence" during the raids.

In a post on X, Sibal said, "Only Supreme Court can rein in ED. Every opposition state, every significant opposition leader is targeted. What is happening in West Bengal is truly disturbing! That too in the midst of an impending election." "Federalism is at ED's mercy!" the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said. The confrontation, which unfolded at a politically combustible moment, added sharp electoral overtones ahead of the elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, to be held in less than three months, as both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP were locked in an aggressive battle for narrative control. The standoff also soon took a legal turn, with the ED moving the Calcutta High Court, seeking permission to file a petition, alleging interference in its investigation. The I-PAC also approached the HC, opposing the searches and questioning its legality. According to the ED, the I-PAC's office in Salt Lake Sector V and Jain's residence on Loudon Street were among about 10 premises, including four in Delhi, that were raided by the federal probe agency in the presence of central paramilitary teams from 7 am, Thursday. However, Banerjee's unscheduled appearance at the raid site injected street-level drama, drawing senior police officers, party leaders, and central forces into a tense stand-off that unfolded in full public view. Banerjee arrived around noon at the residence of Jain, co-founder and director of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), soon after Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma reached the spot. She stayed inside for about 20-25 minutes before emerging with a green folder in her hand, accusing ED officials of overreach. I-PAC, apart from offering political consultancy to the TMC, also manages the party's IT and media operations, making the search especially sensitive in the run-up to elections.