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    ED Approaches Calcutta High Court Seeking CBI Probe After I-PAC Search Turns Controversial

    3 months ago

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    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking directions for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry following developments during a recent search operation linked to political consultancy firm Indian PAC Consulting Private Limited (I-PAC). The petition arises from events that unfolded during an ongoing money-laundering investigation, which, according to the ED, faced alleged obstruction.

    The matter has been listed before Justice Suvra Ghosh and is scheduled to be heard along with a separate petition filed by the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). The political party has challenged what it describes as selective seizure of documents related to party affairs during the search operations conducted at premises connected to I-PAC and its co-founder.

    According to the ED’s submission before the High Court, the agency was conducting searches under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a case registered in 2020 against businessman Anup Majee. The investigation pertains to alleged irregularities linked to coal-related operations in West Bengal. The agency claims that proceeds from these activities were routed through complex financial channels.

    The ED has further alleged that during the search, certain documents and electronic materials were removed from the premises, which it claims affected the integrity of the ongoing investigation. The agency contends that such actions amounted to interference with statutory proceedings carried out under central law.

    In its plea, the ED has argued that when an investigation involves alleged financial wrongdoing with inter-state and national implications, uninterrupted functioning of investigative agencies is essential. It has maintained that any disruption undermines due legal process and necessitates judicial intervention to uphold institutional independence.

    The Trinamool Congress, however, has strongly contested the ED’s claims. In its petition, the party has asserted that the documents present at the searched premises were related to its internal organisational matters and election planning activities. The party has also raised concerns about confidentiality and the potential misuse of political data.

    TMC leaders have maintained that the search operations have no connection with electoral processes and have denied any wrongdoing. The party has urged the Court to ensure that political material unrelated to the investigation is neither accessed nor disclosed.

    The ED has stated that its investigation into Anup Majee revealed an alleged network involving multiple entities and financial intermediaries. As per the agency, certain transactions under scrutiny point towards movement of large sums through layered channels, which are now part of the probe.

    The agency has also alleged that law enforcement personnel were present at the premises during the search to verify identities, and that the situation escalated thereafter. The ED has claimed that its officers faced difficulty in completing statutory duties during the operation.

    In its petition, the ED has requested that an independent agency conduct a probe into the sequence of events surrounding the search. The agency has argued that since the matter involves alleged interference, an inquiry by an organisation not under state administrative control would ensure transparency and credibility.

    Legal experts observe that the case brings into focus the delicate balance between federal investigative authority and state-level governance. The High Court’s response is expected to clarify procedural boundaries and reinforce the role of constitutional oversight in matters involving central agencies and state administrations.

    All parties involved have submitted that they will cooperate fully with judicial proceedings. The High Court is expected to examine whether the circumstances warrant further investigation and whether safeguards were followed during the execution of search operations.

    The case is likely to have significant legal and political implications, particularly as it unfolds ahead of key legislative developments in the state. Observers note that the court’s ruling could set important precedents regarding investigative autonomy and institutional accountability.

     

    Further hearings are awaited as the Calcutta High Court begins examining the petitions filed by the ED, the Trinamool Congress, and other concerned parties.

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