Fresh trouble brews for West Bengal’s top cop as the ED knocks on Supreme Court doors once more. The agency’s latest petition zeroes in on DGP Rajeev Kumar, seeking his removal for allegedly thwarting raids on I-PAC, the data-driven arm behind TMC’s electoral successes.
Unpacking the saga: ED’s money laundering investigation targeted I-PAC after tips of ‘consultancy fees’ masking black money inflows during LS polls. Raids yielded hard drives with analytics on voter targeting and fund allocations exceeding ₹50 crore, per agency sources.
Chaos ensued when DGP-led police swarmed the scenes, claiming jurisdiction and bundling ED officers into vans. The petition chronicles this ‘unprecedented mutiny,’ complete with video footage of scuffles, positioning it as contempt of court-sanctioned operations.
ED argues Kumar’s history disqualifies him—recall his 2019 benching in chit fund probes for similar foot-dragging. It warns of tainted investigations if he remains, potentially derailing cases linked to TMC heavyweights.
Bengal’s political faultlines deepen. Governor CV Ananda Bose, a frequent ED ally, hinted at ‘constitutional crisis.’ Analysts predict SC might appoint an interim DGP, mirroring Punjab’s 2023 model amid farmer protests.
As petitions stack up, the judiciary’s role in federalism stands tested. For TMC, it’s a fight for state autonomy; for ED, a push for unhindered justice. The verdict looms large over India’s most volatile political arena.