ED Raids: I-PAC Breaks Silence
Political consultancy assures full cooperation, calls searches “unsettling precedent”
- ED conducted searches at I-PAC office and Pratik Jain’s residence in Kolkata
- I-PAC issues guarded statement expressing concern over the raids
- Consultancy assures complete cooperation with the probe
- Clarifies its work spans multiple parties across political ideologies
GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 10th Jan: The Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) has issued a guarded statement following simultaneous Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid and search operations at its Salt Lake office on the outskirts of Kolkata and at the Loudon Street residence of its co-founder and Director, Pratik Jain.
Describing the development as a “difficult and unfortunate day” for a professional organisation, I-PAC said the searches raised serious concerns and set an unsettling precedent. However, the consultancy assured that it has extended full cooperation to the central agency and will continue to do so in accordance with the law.
“Yesterday, 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. Regardless, we have extended full cooperation and will continue to do so as required, engaging with the process in complete accordance and respect for the law,” the statement said.
The organisation also maintained that it has always upheld high standards of professional integrity and would continue its work unfazed, guided by consistency and accountability.
Clarifying its role, I-PAC said it functions strictly as a professional political consultancy and does not contest elections or hold political office. It added that over the years, it has worked with multiple political parties across ideologies and regions, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, All India Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, YSR Congress Party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now BRS), Janata Dal (United) and Shiv Sena, among others.
“Our role is limited to transparent and professional political consulting, uninfluenced by differences in political ideology,” the statement said.
The ED raids had triggered sharp reactions from the ruling Trinamool Congress, even as the central agency maintained that the searches were part of an ongoing probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
