Opposition criticises Mamata’s visit to I-PAC office during ED raids

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visits to the residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain and the office of the political consultancy firm during Enforcement Directorate raids on Thursday (January 8) drew strong criticism from Opposition parties.

Also Read | Mamata Banerjee took away key evidence during raids in coal ‘scam’ case against I-PAC official: ED

Senior Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari termed the visits “unconstitutional”. “The Chief Minister and Kolkata Police Commissioner’s visit was unethical, unconstitutional and a direct interference in the Central agency’s investigation. I-PAC is a corporate organisation; they are not a political party. If there are allegations against them, they can show papers, tax files, and face the officials,” the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly said. 

He also added that the ED must act against Ms. Banerjee’s visits as such actions may send a wrong message to the people of West Bengal. The BJP MLA said Ms. Banerjee had a “habit” of interfering in Central agency raids.

In 2019, the Chief Minister had attempted to stop a Central Bureau of Investigation search at then Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s house.

“This is an attempt to shield criminals and hide evidence… She left the premises with files and attacked the [Union] Home Minister [Amit Shah]. How is the HM related to this?” BJP State president Samik Bhattacharya asked. He further alleged that Thursday’s incidents proved that the Trinamool Congress was involved in the corruption that the ED was investigating. He further said the BJP does not use Central agencies to win elections. 

Earlier, after visiting I-PAC’s office, Ms. Banerjee had said, “If Amit Shah wants to win the election, he should fight it at the polls. But why raid our party’s IT sector and snatch away all our documents.” She came down heavily on the BJP-led Union government and alleged that the raid was a tactic to intimidate the party and its leaders. 

Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Mohammad Salim said both the Trinamool and the BJP used government agencies for political work. “Is the Chief Minister behaviour legal? She smuggled out documents from their office. She is not the owner [of I-PAC], yet she loaded its documents into a Trinamool car,” Mr. Salim said. “If Ms. Banerjee interfered in a Central agency search and took away documents, then the houses and offices of Ms. Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee should be searched. He also said cases must be registered against the Chief Minister and police officers who interfered in the raids. 

Congress State president Subhankar Sarkar also criticised the Chief Minister’s move to interfere in the ED search. “How and under what rules did she come out of the I-PAC office carrying files right in front of the ED? If this is true, then why did the ED remain silent and simply sit with folded hands?” Mr. Sarkar said. He further alleged that Ms. Banerjee walking out of the ED raid with files shows that the entire episode was a political show and done under mutual understanding of the two entities.