The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of directly interfering in an Enforcement Directorate (ED) operation in Kolkata. The central agency was conducting raids in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged coal smuggling scam.
Allegations of Obstruction and Unconstitutional Conduct
Leading the charge, Bihar's Health and Law Minister Mangal Pandey, who also serves as the BJP's in-charge for West Bengal, stated that the Chief Minister's actions were reprehensible and unconstitutional. He specifically referred to her visit to the residence of an accused, Prateek Jain, during the ED raid. Pandey alleged that Mamata Banerjee not only went to the premises but also snatched files from the location, which he termed a direct obstruction of the central investigating agency's work.
"Reaching the house of the accused during the ED raid and taking files from there is a direct obstruction of the central investigating agency's work," Pandey asserted. He emphasized that such interference by an individual holding a constitutional post sets a dangerous precedent.
Attempt to Shield the Accused, Says BJP
The BJP leader further claimed that the Chief Minister's presence at the office of the political consultancy I-PAC and at the residence of its director Prateek Jain was not a coincidence. He framed it as a deliberate attempt to shield the accused from the ongoing investigation. "Her actions amount to an attempt to protect those being probed in a serious financial crime," Pandey added.
He argued that the timing and nature of her intervention raised serious questions about the independence of the probe and the rule of law in the state. "Such interference in the work of an investigating agency by a person holding a constitutional post is unconstitutional and highly objectionable," the minister reiterated.
Frustration Over SIT Probe and Upcoming Elections
Pandey also provided a political interpretation of Mamata Banerjee's actions. He suggested that the Chief Minister was rattled by the ongoing investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and anxious about the potential political fallout. According to him, her anxiety stems from the possible defeat of her party, the Trinamool Congress, in the upcoming assembly elections in Bengal.
"She is actually anxious about the possible defeat of Trinamool Congress in the upcoming assembly elections in Bengal," Pandey stated. He also pointed to her recent critical remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as signs of her growing frustration.
Concluding his remarks, the BJP minister issued a firm demand. "What she has done by interfering in the work of central agencies is obstructing the investigation. She should also return the file she took from I-PAC," he said. Pandey ended with a strong assertion of constitutional principles: "Bengal will be governed by the Constitution and the law, not by anarchy."
