Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien pressed for 'immediate and unconditional release' of Indian PAC Consulting Pvt Ltd (IPAC) Director Vinesh Chandel.
Chandel, founder, director and 33 per cent shareholder of IPAC, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday in connection with an alleged coal pilferage-linked money laundering case.
The arrest was based on an FIR registered by the Delhi Police.
Alleging misuse of enforcement actions for political purposes, Derek O'Brien called for the withdrawal of central agencies from West Bengal ahead of elections.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, TMC MP said, "We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Vinesh Chandel. We demand that central agencies be withdrawn from Bengal ahead of the pulse."
Derek O'Brien alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is being used as a "political tool," claiming that its actions close to elections amount to "electoral sabotage."
He further criticised the agency's functioning under the PMLA and made sharp remarks on opposition leaders with corruption cases, saying they are "washed" after joining the BJP.
He further said, "Let's get to an organisation which has announced its new name last night. The organisation was known as ED. Now they have renamed themselves Extremely Desperate. 10 days before polling is not law enforcement. It is electoral sabotage. On the ED, under PMLA, we've said this, but we'll say it again."
"Only 0.1 per cent leads to conviction. 23 of 25 opposition leaders with corruption cases, they have the Nirma effect. As soon as they join the BJP, they're given a packet of Nirma, and they're all washed. So it's a political tool we all know," he highlighted.
With inputs from ANI