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

A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at the office of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday said that federalism was at the ED’s mercy and asserted that only the Supreme Court could rein in the central probe agency.Sibal’s remarks came amid escalating political and legal tensions in West Bengal following the ED action, which triggered high drama when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unexpectedly reached the raid sites. Banerjee accused the central agency of attempting to seize sensitive data linked to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of the high-stakes Assembly elections.
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.” He added, “Federalism is at ED’s mercy!”

Enforcement Directorate (ED)

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 !

— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) January 9, 2026

The ED maintained that the searches were part of an ongoing money laundering probe linked to an alleged multi-crore coal pilferage scam. The agency accused Banerjee of obstructing a lawful investigation and claimed that she, along with the state police, forcibly removed “key evidence” during the raids.The confrontation unfolded at a politically sensitive moment, with elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly scheduled to be held in less than three months. Both the TMC and the BJP have since been locked in an aggressive battle for narrative control, lending sharp electoral overtones to the episode.
The standoff soon took a legal turn, with the ED moving the Calcutta High Court seeking permission to file a petition alleging interference in its investigation. I-PAC has also approached the High Court, opposing the searches and questioning their legality.According to the ED, searches were conducted from around 7 am on Thursday at nearly 10 locations, including I-PAC’s office in Salt Lake Sector V, Pratik Jain’s residence on Loudon Street in Kolkata, and four other premises in Delhi. Central paramilitary forces were deployed during the operation.Banerjee’s unscheduled appearance at Jain’s residence around noon escalated the situation on the ground, drawing senior police officers, party leaders, and central forces into a tense standoff that played out in public view. The Chief Minister reached the spot shortly after Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma arrived and remained inside the premises for about 20–25 minutes before emerging with a green folder in her hand, alleging overreach by ED officials.I-PAC, apart from offering political consultancy services to the TMC, also manages the party’s IT and media operations, making the searches particularly sensitive in the run-up to the elections.