Kolkata, Jan 8 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday alleged that IPAC, a corporate entity, acts as the "eyes and ears" of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and is engaged in devising strategies to ensure the party's electoral success.

Speaking on Thursday's Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at IPAC’s office, Chowdhury said, "IPAC is a corporate entity. What does it do for Mamata Banerjee's party?" "IPAC acts as the eyes and ears of the TMC. They are engaged in framing all sorts of strategies to ensure the win of the TMC, and for that, they can do anything else in exchange for money," Chowdhury said.

He also raised concerns over central agencies.

"The second most striking feature is that over the years we have been accused of all sorts of substantive documents that ED, CBI are being used by the ruling party of our country, even on false allegations and false charges on our party leaders, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," he said.

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted searches on the premises of political consultancy firm I-PAC and its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said.

Jain is the co-founder of the Indian Political Action Committee, or I-PAC, they said. He is also the head of the IT cell of the Trinamool Congress, the ruling party in West Bengal West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dramatically turned up at the residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain amid an ongoing ED raid, alleging that the central agency was attempting to seize the TMC’s internal documents, hard disks and sensitive data linked to its election strategy.

She said the raid at the residence and offices of Jain, "the in-charge of my IT cell", was politically motivated and unconstitutional.

Chowdhury said the incidents highlight the alleged misuse of investigative agencies for political ends, calling for impartial action in the matter. PTI SCH RG

ED raid on political consultancy I-PAC prompts allegations of misuse of investigative agencies and seizure of party strategy materials. The Enforcement Directorate searched I-PAC's offices and the director's residence in a money laundering probe, with officials seeking records and data; political leaders alleged I-PAC acts as the ruling party's strategic 'eyes and ears,' claimed investigators attempted to seize internal documents, hard disks and election strategy materials, and urged impartiality amid assertions the agencies are being used for political ends.