ED, I-PAC and Mamata: A pre-poll tug-of-war over power, data and agencies

In the unseemly battle between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and one of the top electoral and political consultants of the country, Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has dashed in. This makes her look like a legally significant ‘third party’ to a row that may well impact the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls.

Legally third, but politically atop – that is how she aims at positioning herself through the current muddle. This seems to be the message conveyed by her intervention in Thursday (January 8)’s morning raids by the ED. No fewer than 10 premises – six in West Bengal and four in Delhi – were searched by ED officials in a money laundering case against I-PAC.

I-PAC handles TMC’s election-related data

The raided entities belong to Pratik Jain. He had earlier cofounded the consultancy with the famed pollster-turned-political-player Prashant Kishor. The latter had assisted Mamata’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the 2021 Assembly polls in West Bengal. Prashant is also credited with launching Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s successful 2014 campaign. He parted ways with such an electorally important firm a few years ago. Yet, I-PAC’s contract with the TMC continues even as West Bengal is billed to go to the polls in a couple of months or so.

Among other things, I-PAC runs TMC’s social media handles and manages election-related data for the party. Thus, Mamata alleged that the BJP, through the ED, sought to obtain crucial information, plans, and data related to her party during the raids. She barged in during the raids at two ED locations against Jain in Kolkata, allegedly chided the agency’s sleuths, and walked away with files and a few electronic components, claiming they contained vital matters related to her party.

Also Read: After I-PAC raids, Mamata accuses Amit Shah of taking coal-scam money

The turn of events at Kolkata on Thursday is essentially different from ED actions in the past where its investigators took on some of the provincial Opposition satraps like Arvind Kejriwal, Charanjit Singh Channi, Bhupesh Baghel, and Ashok Gehlot since all of them or their progenies in some of the cases taken up by it were direct parties. The ED sought their prosecution before polls in the states run by these leaders. However, the ED has so far not moved against Mamata though her nephew Abhishek Banerjee has earlier appeared before the ED and CBI in another case.

Opposition’s allegation

Most Opposition leaders claim that the Bhartiya Janata Party has moved up following the rise of its government at the Centre and in several states, from social engineering to legal engineering via the ED, CBI, and similargovernment agencies. They feel that the same tactic is now being carried out in West Bengal ahead of elections in the form of ED raids against the poll consultant hired by Mamata.

Also Read: I-PAC raids: ED moves Calcutta HC, seeks CBI probe against CM Mamata

ED officials were only checking Pratik Jain's belongings and equipment to find evidence related to a five-year-old money-laundering case. It related to pilferage from Bengal’s coal mines, running into “illicit sale” of coal worth “tens of crores of rupees”, according to the ED. But Mamata soon reached the location being raided and uncovered a new aspect of the ED’s action, alleging data theft at the behest of Delhi and blaming Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

ED’s statement

This is how a political melee started, forcing the ED to clarify about the search through a statement issued on Thursday. It said, “…action was undertaken in a peaceful manner till the arrival of the Chief Minister of West Bengal along with Police personnel and Officers of the West Bengal administration who forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidence in two of the premises. It is clarified that the search is evidence-based and is not targeted at any political establishment. No party office has been searched. The search is not linked to any elections, and is part of regular crackdown on money laundering. The search is conducted strictly in accordance with established legal safeguards.”

Going by the ED statement, the raid was the result of some evidence against Jain in a case of money laundering and there was no third party involved, nor was it related to any election.

ED serving BJP’s interests: TMC

Obviously, the TMC is not convinced by this. It claims to be a client of Jain’s I-PAC and, thus, poses as the final target, however veiled, of ED’s Thursday action in Kolkata. Mamata’s party considers electoral consultancy to be the main business of I-PAC vis-à-vis EC’s claim of its other or non-electoral role to make money.

Also Read: BJP condemns Mamata Banerjee over conduct during ED raids, alleges obstruction

Mamata’s response to the raid has, indeed, been as if the TMC’s election war room was breached or spied upon by the ED to serve BJP’s interests rather than its going about its normal duties. To express her ire against the raid, she questioned, “What if I (read West Bengal government) am to similarly raid the BJP office?”

Mamata’s love for a fight

This warring stance taken by both Mamata and ED reached the Calcutta High Court on Friday (January 9), where Mamata has emerged as a key party. But because of it, the TMC chief is going to be seen as fighting the BJP via ED, and to ensure this, she addressed a party rally in Kolkata on Friday. A deep love for fight has been her characteristic image or trait since she took to politics five decades ago. She appears to be liking this again as she gears up to try her luck in the Assembly polls once again to retain power as Chief Minister for the fourth term in a row.

Also Read: Bengal Governor receives threat via email after ED raid drama; sender arrested

Significantly, the Thursday raid took place while the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal was underway. Voters’ data available with political parties assumes considerable importance, as it serves as a reference point for the parties during the revision exercise. Whether I-PAC has such data is a moot point for now. Mamata has so far not spoken about this.

Tug-of-war

Nevertheless, there has been a tug-of-war between the TMC and the Election Commission of India (ECI) over SIR due to Mamata’s control of State government employees, who have also served as enumerators in the ECI’s exercise and have handled voter-related data for the past decade or so. These are important factors that can make a difference not only in the revision of electoral rolls but also the final outcome of the high-stake polls.

Also Read: Only Supreme Court can rein in ED: Kapil Sibal after raids on I-PAC

Mamata appears to be on her guard and prepared for any tactics by the opposition as the D-day in West Bengal’s vexed politics draws closer. She is using the raids on I-PAC to paint it as a motivated action against her during the run-up to the polls.