Blog Banner
Politics 5 min read

ED vs Mamata: Bengal CM Accused of Obstructing Probe in I-PAC Raids

Minakshi Srivastava By
Calender Jan 09, 2026
Politics 5 min read

ED vs Mamata: Bengal CM Accused of Obstructing Probe in I-PAC Raids

High political drama unfolded in Kolkata when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at multiple locations linked to the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), triggering an unprecedented face-off between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the BJP-led central government. What began as a routine enforcement action, according to the ED, rapidly snowballed into a constitutional and political confrontation involving allegations of obstruction of justice, misuse of central agencies, electoral interference, and the forcible removal of documents.

At the heart of the controversy lies the ED’s raid on the residence of I-PAC chief Prateek Jain and the organisation’s Salt Lake office—followed by Mamata Banerjee’s dramatic arrival at both locations, her removal of files, and the competing legal claims now before the Calcutta High Court. With West Bengal heading toward high-stakes Assembly elections, the incident has intensified the already volatile relationship between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government and the Centre.

mamata banerjee ed raid

The ED Raids: What Triggered the Action

The Enforcement Directorate initiated simultaneous search operations early Thursday morning at premises linked to I-PAC, the political consultancy firm founded by strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor. The searches began around 7.30 am at Prateek Jain’s residence on Loudon Street in central Kolkata and later extended to I-PAC’s office in Salt Lake.

According to the ED, the raids were conducted as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the multi-crore West Bengal coal smuggling scam. The agency maintained that the searches were “evidence-based,” lawful, and not targeted at any political party or election process.

ED officials said the probe traces its origin to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR registered in Kolkata on November 27, 2020, against alleged coal smuggling kingpin Anup Majhi and others. A day later, on November 28, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Investigators allege that Anup Majhi led an organised coal smuggling syndicate operating out of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) leasehold areas in the Asansol region. The syndicate allegedly engaged in illegal excavation and theft of coal, which was then sold to factories and industrial units across Bankura, Bardhaman, Purulia, and other districts of West Bengal. A significant share of this illegally mined coal, the ED claims, was supplied to companies linked to the Shakambhari Group.

Crucially, the ED alleges that proceeds of crime amounting to tens of crores of rupees were laundered through hawala channels and that around ₹10 crore was routed to I-PAC. The agency claims this money was paid to I-PAC on behalf of the Trinamool Congress to fund the party’s political consultancy work during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections.

Mamata Banerjee Enters the Scene

The situation escalated sharply around noon when senior Kolkata police officials, including the city police commissioner, arrived at Prateek Jain’s residence. Minutes later, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself reached the location.

Visuals from the scene showed a visibly angry Banerjee entering Jain’s house and emerging approximately 20–25 minutes later carrying a heavy green file. Addressing the media outside the residence, she accused the Enforcement Directorate of conducting politically motivated raids at the behest of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“They have raided the residence of our IT chief. They were confiscating my party’s documents and hard disks, which have details about our candidates for the Assembly polls. I have brought those back,” Banerjee said.

She alleged that ED officials attempted to seize the Trinamool Congress’s internal documents, hard disks, laptops, mobile phones, candidate lists, election strategy papers, voter data linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), tax papers, and bank account details.

Questioning the agency’s mandate, Banerjee asked, “Is it the duty of the ED and Amit Shah to collect the party’s hard disk, candidate list, party strategy and party plan?”

The ‘Naughty Home Minister’ Remark and Political Allegations

Launching a fierce attack on the BJP-led Centre, Mamata Banerjee described the ED action as an act of “political vendetta” aimed at destabilising her party ahead of elections. She repeatedly accused Amit Shah of misusing constitutional agencies and called him “naughty,” “nastiest,” and unfit to protect the country.

“This is not law enforcement. Is this how the nasty and naughty Home Minister functions, who cannot protect the country and is sending agencies to harass before elections?” she asked.

Banerjee alleged that voter names were being deleted across West Bengal during the ongoing SIR exercise and claimed that the ED raids were part of a broader conspiracy to manipulate the electoral process.

“In the name of SIR, 1.5 crore voters have been deleted. On one side, they are deleting voters; on the other, they are stealing our data,” she said, daring the BJP to defeat the TMC politically rather than through agencies.

“I dare the BJP to fight us democratically if they want to win Bengal,” she declared, adding that the Trinamool Congress is a registered political party that pays income tax and cannot be bulldozed using “money and muscle power.”

Scene Two: The I-PAC Office Raid

After leaving Jain’s residence, Mamata Banerjee proceeded directly to I-PAC’s Salt Lake office, approximately 15 km away, where another ED team was conducting searches. She entered the premises through a back door and stayed inside for around 15–20 minutes.

According to visuals and reports, officials from the Chief Minister’s Office were seen exiting the building carrying several files, which were placed in the back seat and boot of the Mahindra vehicle used by Banerjee.

The Chief Minister later staged a sit-in protest at the I-PAC office before leaving around 5 pm. The Trinamool Congress subsequently announced a mega protest march against what it termed the “misuse of central agencies.”

ED’s Counter-Allegations: ‘Forcible Removal of Evidence’

In a strongly worded statement, the Enforcement Directorate accused Mamata Banerjee and her aides of obstructing an ongoing investigation under the PMLA.

The agency claimed that the searches were being conducted in a “peaceful and professional manner” until the Chief Minister arrived with a “large number of police officers.” It alleged that Banerjee forcibly entered Prateek Jain’s residence and removed key evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices.

“The CM’s convoy then proceeded to I-PAC’s official premises, from where Ms Banerjee, her aides, and the state police personnel forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidences,” the ED stated, adding that these actions amounted to obstruction of justice.

The ED also said that senior police officers visited the premises to verify the identity of ED officials and that the interference hindered lawful search proceedings.

Legal Battle Reaches Calcutta High Court

By evening, the standoff had moved to the judiciary. The Enforcement Directorate approached the Calcutta High Court, alleging illegal interference and obstruction by the Chief Minister during its search operations. The agency sought judicial intervention, and the matter was listed before Justice Suvra Ghosh.

Simultaneously, the Trinamool Congress filed its own petition, challenging the legality of the ED raids. I-PAC also moved the High Court, seeking a pause on the searches, which it said were conducted months ahead of crucial elections.

The TMC argued that the seized materials pertained exclusively to election-related activities, including campaign strategy, internal assessments, research inputs, organisational coordination, and electoral roll–related data for the West Bengal polls. The party contended that these documents had no connection to any alleged proceeds of crime and therefore fell outside the ambit of the PMLA.

The TMC further alleged that the ED’s action was a pretext to unlawfully access and control its electoral roll management and political strategy, thereby undermining free and fair elections. The party sought a declaration that the ED’s actions were illegal and demanded the immediate return of all confidential documents.

What Was in the ‘Mysterious Green File’?

The contents of the files removed by Mamata Banerjee became a focal point of speculation. Visuals showed at least one file marked “February 2022,” while another appeared to contain travel records of Trinamool leaders.

One document reportedly mentioned “Mahua Moitra x 1” with a travel date of February 2, 2022. Moitra is the TMC MP from Krishnanagar. However, questions remain unanswered about whether the files had already been seized by the ED or were removed while the raid was still in progress.

BJP’s Sharp Counterattack

The BJP accused Mamata Banerjee of unconstitutional conduct and direct interference in a central agency’s probe. Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, termed her visit during an ED raid “unethical,” “improper,” and “unconstitutional.”

He alleged that the presence of the Chief Minister and senior police officials at an active search site violated norms and demanded action against her.

On social media, the BJP mocked Banerjee’s actions, stating that a sitting Chief Minister “scrambling to secure files from an official investigation site” indicated a deeper conspiracy. “If there is nothing to hide, why would a CM rush to remove documents from a private organisation’s office?” the party asked.

Opposition Rallies Behind Mamata

Other opposition leaders quickly rallied to Banerjee’s defence. Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said the ED was “weaponised” because it had failed to “raid facts, truth, or credibility.” Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed the raids proved the BJP was “losing badly” in Bengal.

What Is I-PAC and Why It Matters

I-PAC is a political consultancy firm founded by Prashant Kishor, who has since launched his own political outfit, the Jan Suraaj Party, in Bihar. I-PAC has worked closely with the Trinamool Congress since the 2021 Assembly elections and extended its contract with the party until 2026.

Apart from election strategy, I-PAC manages the TMC’s IT and media operations, making it central to the party’s campaign machinery.

A Battle Far from Over

As both sides prepare for a legal showdown in the Calcutta High Court, the ED–I-PAC raids have become the latest flashpoint in the escalating battle between the Mamata Banerjee government and the BJP-led Centre. With allegations of money laundering, political vendetta, electoral manipulation, and constitutional overreach flying thick and fast, the episode has sharply raised the political temperature in poll-bound West Bengal.

The outcome of the court proceedings may determine not only the legality of the raids but also shape the narrative of governance, federalism, and democratic conduct in the run-up to one of India’s most closely watched elections.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Vygr Media.

    • Apple Store
    • Google Play
Recent News

Related Articles

Explore Categories