The searches were prompted by a CBI Kolkata FIR lodged in November 2020 against Anup Majee and others, with the ED registering an ECIR in the same month.
The investigation disclosed that a smuggling syndicate spearheaded by Majee had been unlawfully excavating and pilfering coal from ECL leasehold territories in West Bengal, selling it to various factories and plants within the state.
The ED has approached the High Court regarding this matter. It accused Banerjee of “obstructing investigation” and “protecting those involved in the coal smuggling and money laundering” despite her position as Chief Minister. The court is expected to hear the case on Friday, January 9.
The ED investigation also revealed connections to hawala operators, with numerous pieces of evidence and statements validating this nexus. One hawala operator was found to have facilitated transactions amounting to tens of crores of rupees to Indian Pac Consulting Private Limited (IPAC).
“Investigations indicated that a hawala operator associated with the layering of proceeds from coal smuggling had facilitated transactions of tens of crores of Rupees to Indian Pac Consulting Private Limited. Individuals tied to the generation of coal smuggling profits, hawala operators, and handlers are included in the PMLA search conducted on 08.01.2026. IPAC is also identified as one of the entities related to hawala funds,” stated an official communication from ED.
Six locations in West Bengal and four in Delhi were searched during today’s operation.
However, according to the statement, the proceedings faced obstruction from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She reportedly entered Prateek Jain’s residence and removed key evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices. Furthermore, she proceeded to the I-PAC office, where she and state police forcibly took away physical documents and electronic evidence.
“These actions have led to obstructions in the ongoing investigation and proceedings under the PMLA,” it stated.
The ED clarified that the search is based on evidence and is not directed at any political establishment. No party offices have been searched, and this action is part of a regular anti-money laundering operation conducted in strict adherence to established legal protocols.
In a direct challenge to the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Banerjee challenged him to come to the state and face her democratically. She accused the central agency of unlawfully seizing party-related data, laptops, mobile phones, and strategic documents.
“If Amit Shah wants Bengal, then come, fight democratically, and win. Everyone must be aware of the operations carried out. Starting at 6 am, they arrived and confiscated the party’s data, laptops, strategies, and mobile phones. Their forensic experts transferred all the data. I consider this a crime,” the CM was quoted as saying by ANI.
Emphasizing that I-PAC is not a private entity, she remarked, “This is the authorized team of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). They seized all documents and data, including extensive information related to SIR. We are a registered political party, regularly filing our income tax. If the ED requires any information, they can obtain it from the Income Tax Department. Why was there a raid on our party’s IT department?”
