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I-PAC raid row: ED tells SC it has been ‘terrorised’ in Bengal

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New Delhi, Feb 18: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it has been “terrorised” in West Bengal, as the apex court adjourned hearing on its plea accusing the state government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of interfering in recent search operations at the office of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its co-founder Pratik Jain in Kolkata.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the federal anti-money laundering agency, strongly refuted the submission that the ED had “weaponised” its powers.

The remarks came after senior advocate Siddharth Luthra contended that the ED must justify the “weaponisation” of its authority.

“It (ED) has not been weaponised, it has been terrorised,” ASG Raju said.

After Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, the Centre’s second-highest law officer, stated that the ED is likely to file its rejoinder during the day, a Bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and K.V. Viswanathan posted the matter for further hearing on March 18.

The hearing was adjourned last week following a request made due to the ill health of senior advocate Kapil Sibal.

During the brief hearing, SG Mehta, representing the ED, informed the apex court that he had been apprised about Sibal’s inability to appear.

“I can’t oppose on this ground. If it can be kept on 18th February,” the Centre’s second-highest law officer submitted.

Acceding to the request, the Justice Mishra-led Bench had deferred the matter for further hearing on February 18.

The ED has approached the top court seeking directions to register FIRs against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the state Director General of Police (DGP), and the Kolkata Police Commissioner, alleging obstruction of lawful duties during the federal agency’s simultaneous search operations.

In her counter-affidavit, Chief Minister Banerjee has denied all allegations of interference and obstruction, asserting that her limited presence on the premises was solely to retrieve confidential and proprietary data belonging to her Trinamool Congress (AITC).

According to the affidavit, CM Banerjee visited Pratik Jain’s residence at Loudon Street and I-PAC’s office in Bidhannagar on January 8, 2026, after receiving information that sensitive political data of the Trinamool was being accessed during the searches. She maintained that the data was “vitally linked to the AITC’s strategy for the upcoming Legislative Assembly election”.

The affidavit stated that when she reached the premises, she “politely requested the officials of the Enforcement Directorate to be allowed to retrieve the Party’s data and the devices they were stored in and files containing prints of the same”.

It further claimed that “the officers of the Enforcement Directorate present thereat did not object to this request and permitted her to retrieve some of these devices and physical files”.

“After she had done so, the Answering Respondent (CM Banerjee) left the premises so as not to inconvenience the officials of the Enforcement Directorate in any way,” the counter affidavit said, adding that the ED’s own panchnamas record that the searches continued thereafter and were conducted “peacefully and in an orderly manner”.

CM Banerjee has also argued that neither the Trinamool nor its officials are accused in the alleged coal scam, and therefore, the ED cannot claim any right to the party’s proprietary data.

The counter affidavit has further accused the ED of acting with mala fide intent, alleging that the searches were carried out in the run-up to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections and after a prolonged period of inaction.

It has questioned the timing of the operations, claiming they coincided with I-PAC possessing “critical documents”, including a proposed list of candidates for the upcoming polls.

Alleging violations of statutory safeguards under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the affidavit also states that the ED failed to produce any audio or video recordings of the searches. This, it claimed, raises a “strong presumption” that the searches were clandestine and aimed at accessing confidential political data.

Earlier, on January 15, the Supreme Court had stayed the FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police against ED officials in connection with the searches, and had also directed the preservation of CCTV footage and other digital storage devices containing recordings of the searched premises and the surrounding areas.

Crime

Speeding Ferrari crashes into apartment building in Hyderabad Jubilee Hills

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Hyderabad, July 12: A speeding Ferrari car crashed into the gate of an apartment building in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills area in the early hours of Sunday. There were no casualties, said officials.

The incident occurred on Road Number 5 in the upscale Jubilee Hills under the Film Nagar Police Station limits.

The occupants abandoned the heavily damaged Ferrari Roma, said to be worth more than Rs 3.50 crore, and fled before police arrived at the scene.

The gate of Fort View Apartments was completely damaged in the collision. The front portion of the luxury car was badly mangled.

The man driving the vehicle escaped after the accident. Police suspect that the person at the wheel was under the influence of alcohol and driving the vehicle at a high speed and in a rash manner.

Police registered a case and launched an investigation into the person who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. Police were examining the CCTV footage to ascertain if there were other persons in the vehicle.

Police shifted the damaged Ferrari to the police station with the help of a towing vehicle.

This is the second such incident in Jubilee Hills in less than a week. An SUV had crashed into Tollywood actor Dharma’s residence on the night of July 9.

A man who was under the influence of alcohol had rammed the SUV into the residence of Dharma on Road Number 10. The compound wall of the actor’s house was damaged in the incident.

The accused was identified as Karthik Kumar, who drove the SUV in a rash and negligent manner before losing control and ramming into Dharma’s house. Luckily, there were no casualties.

The actor alerted the police, who rushed to the spot and arrested the accused. A breathalyser test confirmed that the accused was drunk while driving the SUV.

Police registered a criminal case against Kartik Kumar and launched further investigation.

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Crime

Tamil Nadu: Beedi leaves worth Rs 17 lakh meant for Lanka seized near Thoothukudi coast

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Thoothukudi, July 11: In a major anti-smuggling operation, the Tamil Nadu Q Branch police seized beedi leaves worth an estimated Rs 17 lakh that were allegedly being smuggled to Sri Lanka from the Thoothukudi coast in the early hours on Saturday.

The consignment was recovered from a forested stretch near Inigo Nagar Beach, while the suspected smugglers managed to flee after spotting the police.

The operation was launched following a specific intelligence input received by Q Branch Inspector Vijaya Anitha, who was informed that a large quantity of beedi leaves was being stockpiled in the Inigo Nagar coastal area for clandestine transportation to Sri Lanka by boat.

Acting on the tip-off, a special police team led by Sub-Inspector Ramachandran, along with Special Sub-Inspector Ramar, Inspectors Irudayaraj Kumar and Isakkimuthu, and First Grade Constables Palani, Balamurugan and Pechiraj, conducted a late-night patrol in the South Police Station limits of Thoothukudi City Sub-Division.

During the search operation, the team reached a forested area south of Inigo Nagar Beach, where they discovered a cache of beedi leaves concealed and kept ready for loading onto a boat bound for Sri Lanka. Police recovered 18 bundles of beedi leaves, each weighing approximately 30 kg, indicating that the consignment had been carefully packed for sea transport.

However, the suspected smugglers, who were reportedly present in the vicinity, escaped into the darkness after noticing the approaching police personnel. In addition to the contraband, the police also seized a cargo vehicle believed to have been used for transporting the beedi leaves to the coastal loading point.

Officials said the seized consignment has an estimated international market value of around Rs 17 lakh. The recovered beedi leaves and the cargo vehicle are being handed over to the Customs Department for further investigation and legal proceedings.

Police have launched an investigation to identify and apprehend those involved in the smuggling network.

Investigators are examining the ownership of the seized vehicle and gathering intelligence to trace the larger syndicate suspected of operating along the Thoothukudi coast.

The seizure is part of the intensified surveillance being carried out by the Q Branch and other enforcement agencies to curb cross-border smuggling activities between the Tamil Nadu coast and Sri Lanka.

Authorities said further investigations are under way to determine the intended recipients of the consignment and whether the operation is linked to an organised smuggling network operating in the region.

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Crime

NESCO drug overdose case: Vanrai Police arrest 14th accused, twin brother of alleged mastermind Mahesh Khemlani

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Mumbai, July 11: The Vanrai Police have arrested the 14th accused in the high-profile NESCO drug overdose case, taking into custody Nitesh alias ‘Nick’ Khemlani, the twin brother of alleged mastermind Mahesh alias ‘Mark’ Khemlani.

According to police, Nitesh Khemlani was arrested following an investigation into the suspected financial network linked to the drug case. He was produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody until July 13 for further questioning and investigation.

The arrest comes as part of the ongoing probe into the drug-related incident reported at the NESCO area in Goregaon, Mumbai. Police are examining the alleged drug syndicate’s operations, including its financial transactions and links among the accused persons.

The Vanrai Police said that during the investigation, suspicious financial transactions between Nitesh Khemlani and some of the accused already arrested in the case came to light. Based on these findings, police took him into custody for further investigation.

Investigators are now questioning Nitesh Khemlani to trace the alleged financial network behind the drug operation, identify possible sources of funding and uncover further links connected to the case.

The arrest marks the 14th in the case, with police continuing their probe into the wider network involved in the alleged drug supply and distribution chain.

The NESCO drug overdose case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of multiple accused and the alleged links to a wider drug network. Police officials have said that further arrests and revelations may emerge as the investigation progresses.

The Vanrai Police are focusing on establishing the complete chain of events, including the movement of funds, connections between accused persons and the possible role of other individuals associated with the case.

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