ED raids on I-PAC | 'Worked for BJP, TMC, Congress...': Firm issues statement, says will cooperate with probe

Political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) on Friday, January 9, said it had fully cooperated with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) during searches conducted at its Kolkata office and the residence of its director Pratik Jain, while expressing concern over what it termed an “unsettling precedent” for a professional organisation engaged in political consulting.

In a statement issued a day after the searches, I-PAC said that it was founded with the belief that public life in India is strengthened when young professionals bring “energy, integrity and professionalism” into the democratic process in a non-partisan manner.

The organisation said it began as a small group of young professionals and has since grown into a platform involving thousands, enabling wider participation in the political process both through I-PAC and beyond.

The firm said it has worked strictly in a professional advisory capacity with 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.

Emphasising its non-electoral role, I-PAC said it neither contests elections nor holds political office, and that its work is limited to “transparent and professional political consulting”.

Referring to Thursday’s searches, I-PAC said ED officials carried out operations at its office and at Jain’s residence in Kolkata, calling it a “difficult and unfortunate day” for the organisation. “We believe this raises serious concerns and sets an unsettling precedent,” the statement said, adding that despite this, I-PAC had extended “full cooperation” and would continue to engage with the process in complete accordance with and respect for the law.

The ED searches triggered a political storm in West Bengal, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee making an unscheduled appearance at Jain’s residence during the raids. Banerjee accused the central agency of attempting to seize sensitive data related to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of the Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in less than three months.