3 min readNew DelhiFeb 1, 2026 01:52 AM IST
First published on: Feb 1, 2026 at 01:52 AM IST
The West Bengal Police has denied allegations that its officials intimidated and threatened Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who were carrying out searches at the office of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) Consulting Pvt Ltd and the residence of its founder Pratik Jain in Kolkata on January 8.
In affidavits filed Friday before the Supreme Court, which is hearing the ED’s plea seeking a CBI probe in the matter, the state police officers, including DGP Rajeev Kumar [he has retired since], Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Priyabrat Roy, said that on the contrary, it was the ED officials who “behaved in a high-handed manner, and obstructed West Bengal Police”.
The ED’s petition had said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee “barged into the premises under the search” and “they not only started intimidating and threatening the officers but also snatched the files and electronic evidence containing incriminating material from them”. The plea said, “what was snatched” was material “earlier taken into possession by the officers…. during their official duty as a part of the collection of evidence under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.”
The DGP, however, said that the CM who reached the IPAC office at around 12:45pm “requested the officials of the ED to allow access to certain data and materials which, according to her, pertained to her political party and were confidential in nature. The officials of ED present at the site did not raise any objection to such a request… thereafter… Mamata Banerjee… left the premises.” “It is a matter of record that the search proceedings at the site continued even after her departure, and the panchnama prepared by the ED records that the searches were conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner,” he added, terming the ED claims “exaggerated”. He termed the ED “petition…a misguided attempt to malign the image of a professional police force without any factual foundation”.
To ED “shocking state-of-affairs in West Bengal” claim, the state in a separate affidavit denied that the said “writ petition discloses any shocking state of affairs in West Bengal… it is unfortunate that a state authority like the ED has chosen to make pompous and unfounded statements without a shred of evidence through perverse generalisations with the sole motive of prejudicing”.
The Commissioner and DCP said after police reached the spot, those carrying out the searches did not show any identity or authorisation.
The police officers said “it is a matter of record that the ED only identified itself to Kolkata Police by way of a belated email, after having already unlawfully physically obstructed, shoved and attempted to intimidate” the police personnel.
On January 15, a Supreme Court bench of Justices P.K. Mishra and Vipul M. Pancholi had issued notices to Mamata and the police officials on the ED’s plea. The top court also stayed the FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police against ED officers. It directed that CCTV and other devices containing footage of the ED search operation be preserved.
The police officers said “it is a matter of record that the ED only identified itself to Kolkata Police by way of a belated email, after having already unlawfully physically obstructed, shoved and attempted to intimidate” the police personnel.
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