New Delhi, Jan. 10 -- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that proceeds of crime worth Rs.20 crore generated by purported irregularities in coal mining in West Bengal were transferred through hawala channels to the political consultancy firm I-PAC. The agency made the allegation while seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against chief minister Mamata Banerjee, senior state police officers and others for obstructing its raid on Thursday.

In its writ petition filed before the Calcutta high court, the federal agency accused Banerjee of intimidating its officers, forcibly taking away evidence and hijacking the "panch" witnesses (independent witnesses who accompanied the team for the raid). The court adjourned a hear...