What Really Happened Inside the I-PAC Raid When Mamata Barged In With 50 Kolkata Police Officials

As the situation outside I-PAC office in Kolkata’s Salt Lake keeps escalating, Republic has managed to to clear understanding of what exactly happened inside the raid when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee barged inside with 50 personnel from Kolkata Police.

Reports from the ground suggest Mamata took Pratik Jain phone and laptop during the raid. Pratik Jain's is the co-founder and director of the political consultancy I-PAC that handles campaign work for Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Before taking Jain’s laptop, Mamata also took the laptop of an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer, but later returned it. As the raid was going on, she ordered that all the papers be handed over to her and the DGP also started putting pressure on the ED officials.

Despite the chaos, the CRPF could not take any action as a sitting CM was involved in the incident.

Following the incident, West Bengal Police has accused ED of intimidation and trespassing and have registered three FIRs against ED officers.

ED strikes back

Enforcement Directorate has also reacted strongly to the issue calling it ‘illegal intrusion’ and are likely to move Calcutta High Court about it. The financial investigation agency under the Ministry of Finance has put forward a set of demands including returning the items taken by CM Mamata Banerjee, prevent her from interfering in the case and requested that the suspects co-operate with the official bodies with the probe that stems from allegations of coal pilferage and money laundering against I-PAC.

Also Read: I-PAC Raids | ED Suspects TMC Used Coal Scam Money In Goa Polls: Sources