<h1>ED searches of political consultancy I-PAC over alleged coal pilferage money laundering, amid claims of seizing election strategy data</h1> The Enforcement Directorate conducted search and seizure operations at the Kolkata office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its director as part of a money-laundering investigation linked to an alleged coal pilferage scam, with additional premises searched in Kolkata and Delhi; the operative effect is the exercise of investigative powers to search specified locations and seize records, electronic storage devices, and other materials relevant to the probe. The West Bengal Chief Minister publicly alleged that the agency was attempting to seize the ruling party's internal documents, hard disks, and sensitive election-strategy data; the operative effect is a dispute over the scope and intended subject-matter of the materials sought during the searches.