Kolkata Police to record neighbours’ statements over alleged forced entry during ED raids on I-PAC chief

The Kolkata Police is probing allegations of forced entry and theft during Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its chief, Pratik Jain. The investigation comes amid claims that ED officials bypassed security protocols while conducting searches.

Police have begun recording statements from Jain’s neighbours to ascertain whether they witnessed any part of the searches or how the officials entered the Loudon Street building. Notices have already been issued to several residents to appear for questioning. “The statements of residents and neighbours are crucial to establishing the sequence of events,” a senior Kolkata Police officer said. He added that the names of the ED officials involved do not appear in the housing complex’s security register. Investigators have also indicated that mobile phones of security personnel were forcibly taken during the operation.

The raids, carried out on Thursday morning, have sparked political controversy. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited the sites soon after the raids, alleged that sensitive party-related election documents both physical and electronic were stored at Jain’s residence and I-PAC’s Sector V office and were seized illegally. Complaints have been lodged against the ED at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and Bidhannagar Electronic Complex Police Station.

The controversy stems from ED searches conducted on January 8, 2026, as part of a money-laundering investigation connected to an alleged 2020 coal smuggling syndicate. The agency claims it traced approximately ₹20 crore in illicit funds, some of which were allegedly routed through I-PAC operations. I-PAC, a political consultancy firm, has worked with multiple Indian political parties, including BJP, Congress, AAP, and TMC, on election strategy and digital campaigns. Pratik Jain, its co-founder and director, has been identified by the ED as a key person involved in handling these funds, particularly in relation to campaign work for the Goa assembly elections in 2021–22.

The ED maintains that the raids were part of evidence-based financial investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) , and denies any political motive. The raids triggered a sharp political response. Mamata Banerjee alleged that the ED was attempting to seize internal strategy documents of her party, including candidate lists and digital data, ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. She led protest marches in Kolkata and termed the raids politically motivated. The Trinamool Congress has also challenged the raids in court and filed caveats in the Supreme Court. In response, the ED has approached the Supreme Court alleging obstruction of its officers during the raids and sought an independent probe by the CBI against Banerjee and others.

Kolkata Police continues to verify the identities of the ED officials involved, relying on CCTV footage, security records, and witness statements. Neighbours’ testimonies will play a key role in establishing the sequence of events and whether proper procedures were followed during the operation.