ED Targets Opposition During Polls, Alleges Kapil Sibal; Seeks Supreme Court Intervention

Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of selectively targeting Opposition leaders during election periods and urged.

The Supreme Court to urgently hear pending review petitions on the jurisdiction and powers of central probe agencies.

Addressing a press conference, Sibal questioned why ED action appears to intensify only when elections are underway, citing recent developments in West Bengal and earlier cases involving Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and RJD leaders Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav during Assembly polls.

He alleged that the ED’s actions in West Bengal were aimed at harassing Opposition leaders rather than pursuing genuine investigations. Referring to the recent raids on political consultancy firm I-PAC, Sibal questioned the scope of the probe and said the agency could not arbitrarily seize all documents.

On Thursday, the ED conducted searches at I-PAC’s office and at the residence of its chief in Kolkata in connection with a coal smuggling case. The agency has claimed that its officials faced obstruction during the operation and alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee entered the premises and removed “key” evidence.

Sibal rejected the ED’s claims and questioned the manner in which the searches were conducted. “If the investigation relates to a coal scam, then access should have been sought only to documents or devices relevant to that case. They cannot take away everything,” he said.

The former Union minister also contrasted the present situation with the UPA years, saying that between 2004 and 2014, probe agencies were not given a “free hand” to act against political opponents. “No political party or leader was prosecuted on false information during that period,” he said.

“When the Enforcement Directorate was created, it was not envisaged as an omnipresent agency that could act anywhere, anytime. Such unchecked action can undermine the federal structure by targeting Opposition leaders and destabilising elected governments,” Sibal said.

Expressing concern over the situation in West Bengal, he said he did not want developments to threaten the unity and integrity of the country. Asked whether the Centre could impose President’s Rule in the state, Sibal warned that any arbitrary decision would have political consequences.

The senior advocate also criticised the Supreme Court for not hearing review petitions pending before it on the jurisdiction of probe agencies. “The time has come for the Supreme Court to examine these issues. Otherwise, the federal structure will weaken, and people will not accept it,” he said.

Sibal further alleged that the ED routinely follows FIRs registered by state police, assuming it has the authority to investigate across the country. “It is striking that the ED becomes active only in states where elections are imminent—Jharkhand, Bihar, and now West Bengal,” he said.

Responding to the ED’s allegation that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee obstructed the I-PAC raids, Sibal said the agency must first clearly explain what it was investigating. “They suddenly chose the election period to collect documents. Their intention is clear—to disturb the political process and target the Trinamool Congress because they cannot win otherwise,” he alleged.

Describing central agencies as tools of political pressure, Sibal remarked, “The ED has become omnipresent, like God. For this government, the ED and the CBI can do anything.”