Kolkata: I-PAC, the election strategy firm known for planning campaigns, shaping outreach and assessing candidates for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), has come under scrutiny following an Enforcement Directorate (ED) action.
The agency conducted raids after allegations of illegal money transfers. Directors were arrested and the firm has since shut its office, according to reports.
During the raid, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allegedly entered the I-PAC office and took away certain documents. The ED moved the Supreme Court over the incident, and the court strongly criticised her conduct.
The allegations linked to I-PAC are said to be connected to a coal smuggling case. Even as the ED continued issuing summons to some employees, the office closure followed.
Amid this, reports claim several I-PAC employees have begun working with election consultancy outfits that advise the BJP. This development is said to have heightened unease within the TMC, with concerns that internal details could be shared with rival-linked groups.
