Kolkata, Jan 8 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday alleged that I-PAC, a corporate entity, acts as the TMC's "eyes and ears" and is engaged in "political unethical and conspiratorial" activities in West Bengal to ensure the party's electoral success.

Speaking on Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at multiple locations, including at IPAC's office and company chief Pratik Jain's residence in connection with a coal smuggling case, Chowdhury questioned why West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee got so worked up and restless in the wake of the agency's raids at a corporate entity.

Jain also doubles up as the TMC's IT head, Banerjee said.

Chowdhury went on to allege the company acted as the means to extract money for top leaders of the ruling Trinamool dispensation in the state and help the party devise conspiratorial methods to win elections.

"I-PAC acts as the eyes and ears of the TMC. The body itself does not contest elections, but it controls the internal functioning of the TMC, deciding who will sit in which position, who will become a leader, and even influencing internal voting. These people are directly involved in the entire process. The money collected through all this is sent to the TMC office, and I-PAC takes its share from it. This is the reality of I-PAC," Chowdhury told PTI videos.

In a separate statement, Chowdhury alleged that it was on Jain's advice that TMC brought in a renowned cricketer to Murshidabad, a Muslim majority district, from Gujarat – implying TMC MP Yusuf Pathan, but without directly naming him – to defeat him in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, to gain an edge by "using his religious identity".

He further accused that it was on I-PAC's advice that "TMC MLA Humayun Kabir was used as a front to organise riots in Murshidabad, terrorise Hindus and conspired to shift Hindu votes to BJP's kitty".

"I want to ask Didi (Mamata Banerjee), why are you so worked up with the actions of the ED. This agency has launched attacks on many political parties in this country, including the Congress, where it insulted Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. You weren't bothered then. You are selective in your reactions," the Congress leader alleged, addressing Banerjee, but without directly naming her.

"You held a night-long dharna at Esplanade when the CBI went to question Rajeev Kumar, a top officer of your state's police, in the Saradha chit fund case. Yet when women are attacked in this state, like at RG Kar Medical College or at the law college in Kasba and during other regular atrocities perpetrated against them, you don't get so vocal," he added.

Chowdhury claimed Banerjee's "selective outrage" was aimed at protecting her party's vested interests, which are "overseen" by the entity.

"So, was this reaction against the ED directed against the agency's ill-framed actions, or was it to protect those who help you in the elections by means of various misdeeds? Because, I-PAC can stoop down to every possible level to win elections. It draws up math to identify booths which need to be captured and supplies conspiracy ideas on what needs to be done to defeat the Congress where it is strong," the leader 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 in connection with a coal smuggling scam in Bengal, officials said.

Jain is the co-founder of the Indian Political Action Committee, or I-PAC and succeeded its previous chief, Prashant Kishor, poll strategist-turned political leader.

CM Mamata Banerjee dramatically turned up at the residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain amid the ongoing ED raids, 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 later reached the company’s office at Sector V in Salt Lake, where simultaneous search operations were being conducted by the agency and stayed put at the premises for nearly four hours. PTI SCH SMY RG

Political consultancy firm searched in a money laundering probe linked to alleged coal smuggling; searches targeted documents and electronic data. Searches were conducted at a political consultancy firm's offices and its director's residence in a money laundering probe linked to an alleged coal smuggling scheme, targeting company premises, electronic media and documents to trace proceeds and financial flows. Allegations assert the consultancy functioned as an operational arm influencing candidate selection, booth strategy and internal party control while channeling funds to a political party, raising issues about the application of anti money laundering enforcement to political consultants and the scope of search and seizure of election related data.