Dramatic scenes unfolded in Kolkata on Thursday when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at the residence of political consultancy firm I-PAC’s head Pratik Jain, while the Enforcement Directorate was conducting raid there. Banerjee alleged that the central agency was attempting to seize internal documents, hard drives and sensitive election-related data of the Trinamool Congress.
Calling the action politically motivated and unconstitutional, Banerjee said the searches at Jain’s residence and offices targeted party material. She described Jain as “in charge of my IT cell”. The CM went on to accuse the ED of overstepping its mandate by seeking access to the party’s internal records and strategy documents.
Raids under PMLA
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday carried out searches at multiple locations in Kolkata and Bidhannagar as part of a money laundering investigation. The ED also raided premises linked to political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC).
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The raids covered I-PAC’s office on the 11th floor of a commercial building in Salt Lake, the Loudon Street residence of its head Pratik Jain and the office of a trader in Posta area of Burrabazar. Officials said the searches were conducted under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
What did Mamata say after coming out of Jain’s house?
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at Jain’s residence while the ED action was underway and later visited I-PAC’s Salt Lake office. Speaking to reporters outside Jain’s house, Banerjee alleged that the central agency was attempting to access internal party information.
VIDEO | Kolkata: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) visits I-PAC Director Prateek Jain’s residence after an ED raid and says, “Is it the duty of Home Minister Amit Shah and the ED to take away all my party documents? If I go to the BJP party office, what will be the… pic.twitter.com/lRQOpKtVN4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 8, 2026 “This is most unfortunate that ED raided the house and office of our IT wing and its head. They are trying to collect all the information,” Banerjee said. She added that Jain was “in charge of my party”. Holding a green folder and a hard drive, she claimed she had taken away party documents to prevent their seizure.
“They are trying to get the candidate list and our internal information. Is this the duty of the ED and Amit Shah?” Banerjee said. “What if I raid the BJP party office? What will be the fallout?”
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‘PM must control Home Minister’
Banerjee further accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misusing constitutional agencies to intimidate opposition parties.
“This is not law enforcement. Is this how the nastiest and naughty home minister functions, who can protect the country?” she said. “I am sorry Mr Amit Shah, the Prime Minister must control his home minister,” Banerjee added.
Visuals from the site showed Kolkata police officers loading files into the chief minister’s vehicle parked in the building basement. West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar later reached the I-PAC office.
ED responds strongly to Banerjee’s intervention
The Enforcement Directorate has moved the Calcutta High Court following Mamata Banerjee’s intervention during the raid at Jain’s residence, according to The Telegraph India Online’s report. In a statement shared on X, the agency alleged that Banerjee removed documents and electronic devices during the operation.
“West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee entered Pratik Jain’s residence and took away key evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices,” the ED said. It further claimed that Banerjee’s convoy proceeded to the I-PAC office, from where “the CM, her aides and police forcibly removed documents and electronic devices”.
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The ED said the searches were carried out on the basis of “credible evidence” and accused the chief minister of misusing her authority. “A person holding a constitutional post misused her authority to take away files,” the agency stated.
ED Headquarters Unit is conducting search action at 10 premises (6 in West Bengal and 4 in Delhi) under PMLA in connection with coal smuggling syndicate led by Anup Majee used to steal and illegally excavate coal from ECL leasehold areas of West Bengal. The search action was… pic.twitter.com/ab7PCReiJo
— ED (@dir_ed) January 8, 2026 According to the ED, the action was not politically motivated and did not target any party or organisation. The agency said the searches were linked to an ongoing investigation into coal smuggling and alleged hawala transactions, with raids conducted at 10 locations across West Bengal and Delhi.
The searches included I-PAC offices, which have been working with the ruling Trinamool Congress and the West Bengal government since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. |
