A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain, the political consultancy firm has expressed serious concerns, describing the action as an “unsettling precedent” for professional organisations. Security personnel were stationed outside the I-PAC office at Infinity Waterside, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata, as the ED carried out the searches. I-PAC, in its statement, said, “Officials from the Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at the I-PAC office and at the residence of our Director, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata. It was a difficult and unfortunate day for a professional organisation like I-PAC. We believe this raises serious concerns and sets an unsettling precedent.”
I-PAC Raids Trigger TMC Protests
The organisation further stated that it has extended full cooperation to the agency and is engaging with the process in complete accordance with the law. The ED raids have sparked high drama in West Bengal, beginning Thursday after the searches at Pratik Jain’s residence. The actions have prompted protests from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state. The ED has reportedly moved the Calcutta High Court over alleged interference by the state government in its investigation. I-PAC, which provides political consultancy services to the TMC, now remains at the center of a high-profile legal and political dispute, with the case continuing to attract attention across the region.
Consultancy Oversight Sparks Legal Debate
The raids have also sparked discussions on the role and oversight of professional political consultancy firms, raising questions about their engagement in electoral and political campaigns. While the ED maintains that the searches are part of a lawful investigation, I-PAC has underscored the importance of preserving institutional integrity for professional organisations, cautioning against any measures that may create a precarious precedent in the political and administrative landscape.
As the situation develops, all eyes remain on forthcoming updates regarding the legal proceedings and potential political ramifications. I-PAC’s cooperation with the authorities continues, and the TMC-led protests are being closely monitored to assess whether the situation may escalate further in the state.