New Delhi, Jan 21: ED Director Rahul Navin is expected to reach Kolkata on Thursday for a review of the central agency’s work in the eastern region, officials said.
The visit comes in the backdrop of the recent searches conducted by the agency against the political consultancy firm I-PAC, one of its directors, Pratik Jain and some others in connection with an alleged coal pilferage scam case.
Officials said on Wednesday that Navin will visit the agency’s eastern regional office in Salt Lake for a day-long meeting, interact with his staff and undertake a review of the cases being investigated in the zone.
He is also expected to take feedback from ED officers on the overall working conditions and security arrangements for them and the office premises, keeping in mind the recent developments, they said.
The I-PAC searches were undertaken by the officials of a Delhi-based ED unit on January 8.
The Supreme Court is hearing the matter where ED has claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her officials “obstructed” the searches, and took away “key” evidence. The agency has sought a CBI investigation against them.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has said that the ED was attempting to take away its election-strategy-related documents from I-PAC premises just before the upcoming assembly polls in the state.
I-PAC provides political consultancy to the party’s government in the state since 2021.
Officials said the ED chief keeps travelling to various regions as part of routine reviews.
Navin had similarly travelled to Kolkata immediately after the agency’s search team was attacked in Sandeshkhali in South 24 Parganas district in January 2024.
He had then met his officers, reviewed the security and operational arrangements and had also called on West Bengal Governor Dr C V Ananda Bose. (Agencies)
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