As the assembly elections in West Bengal draw closer, the state is witnessing increasing turmoil. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court demanding that an FIR be registered against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, DGP Rajeev Kumar, and Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar.
The ED has filed two separate petitions in the Supreme Court, leveling serious allegations against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma in connection with the I-PAC political consultancy case.
Demand for FIR against Mamata Banerjee and officials
The ED has alleged that during the money laundering investigation against I-PAC, the Chief Minister and other senior state officials obstructed the raid. The ED also stated that the state machinery tampered with and destroyed evidence. The ED's petition states that those responsible for upholding the law became complicit in the crime.
It is noteworthy that the ED had conducted raids and searches at the I-PAC office in Kolkata and the residence of its director, Prateek Jain, last Thursday in connection with the coal smuggling case.
Allegations made by the ED
The ED has alleged that while the raid was underway at the residence of I-PAC chief Prateek Jain, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the DGP, and the Police Commissioner forcibly entered the premises with a large police force.
The investigating officers were intimidated and threatened. They were held captive, and important documents, mobile phones, hard disks, and laptops were seized from them. The agency has termed this a pre-planned attempt to influence the investigation.
Allegations of obstructing the I-PAC investigation
In the petition filed in the Supreme Court, the ED stated that the state officials obstructed the investigating agency's right to conduct a fair investigation into the case. The ED has also demanded a CBI investigation.
The ED also claimed that during the hearing of the case in the Calcutta High Court, the state government used its machinery to create a disturbance in the court. This forced the judge to postpone the hearing.
Petition filed in the Supreme Court
The agency has appealed to the Supreme Court to hand over the investigation of the entire incident to the CBI. The ED has demanded that an FIR be registered against the Chief Minister and top police officers. The police want to know exactly what happened before and after the police arrived at Prateek's house on the morning of January 8, when ED officials reached there.
BJP raises questions
The BJP has questioned Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to the I-PAC office during the raids in Kolkata and the manner in which she left the premises carrying a green file.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya has asked why the number plates of the car she arrived in and the car she left in are not the same. What is in the green file? It has been revealed that the car Mamata arrived in belonged to the party, while the one she left in was a government vehicle.
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