ED Director Rahul Naveen to Visit Kolkata, Meet Officers Involved in I-PAC Raid and West Bengal Governor

Kolkata: Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Rahul Naveen is scheduled to visit Kolkata on Thursday, marking his first trip to West Bengal following the high-profile I-PAC raid and ensuing controversy. During his visit, Naveen will meet with ED officers involved in the I-PAC operation and hold discussions with West Bengal Governor C.V. Anand Bose amid rising tensions between the state government and the central investigative agency.

The visit comes 13 days after the ED conducted raids at the offices of I-PAC and the residence of its director, Prateek Jain, on 8 January. The raids triggered significant political turmoil, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally arriving at the sites along with Kolkata police officials. Allegations arose that the Kolkata Police obstructed ED officers, even threatening to file FIRs against them. The matter reached the Supreme Court, which stayed FIRs against the ED officials.

During his Kolkata visit, Rahul Naveen is expected to meet the teams involved in the I-PAC raid to assess the investigation and boost officer morale. “The aim is to ensure that ED personnel can carry out their duties effectively despite the ongoing pressures,” sources said. Analysts anticipate that the visit signals the Directorate’s intent to intensify the ongoing probe into I-PAC.

The raids have also stirred political controversy in the state. Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of using the ED to access information related to her election strategies. The Trinamool Congress filed petitions in the Calcutta High Court challenging the ED action. However, the court dismissed TMC’s petition, which alleged that the ED had seized confidential files and data from Prateek Jain’s office. The ED maintains that the raids were part of an ongoing money laundering investigation.