Mamata makes dramatic entry as ED raids I-PAC

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted searches at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the home of its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata as part of a money laundering probe into an alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam. It also issued a statement asserting that the action was not aimed at targeting any political party.

In an interesting turn of events, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, moving swiftly, dropped in at the house of her poll strategist as the ED conducted raids. The unprecedented turn of events later has generated much controversy and turned up the heat in poll-bound Bengal. Later Mamata made sensational claims, alleging that there was a bid to steal her party TMC’s data and asserting that Trinamool Congress documents were taken during the searches.

The ED approached the Calcutta High Court, claiming obstruction in raids by the Chief Minister.

The matter will be heard on Friday.

The day began with the ED conducting simultaneous raids at two locations linked to I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee), which was founded by Prashant Kishor.

Searches were being carried out at the residence of I-PAC head Prateek Jain in Loudon Street (central Kolkata) and the consultancy group's office in Salt Lake.

I-PAC has been associated with the TMC for years, playing a crucial role in the party's dominance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 2021 assembly elections.

While Kishor was previously handling the TMC's election strategies, Jain took over after the political strategist stepped away to contest the Bihar elections.

As the raids were underway, Kolkata police chief Vineet Goyal became the first senior government official to reach Jain's residence. Shortly after, Mamata Banerjee arrived. After a few minutes, she came out, visibly upset, carrying a green file in her hand. Addressing the media, a livid Mamata alleged that the ED action was "politically motivated" and was at the behest of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. She claimed the raids were ordered to access Trinamool's election strategy, candidate lists for the 2026 elections and confidential party documents. The Trinamool chief claimed the ED was attempting to "steal files" related to the party's poll strategy.

After leaving Jain's residence, Mamata Banerjee headed straight to I-PAC's Salt Lake office, around 15 km away, where a second ED team was carrying out searches. The Chief Minister entered the premises through a back door and was seen exiting about 15–20 minutes later.

Along with her, officials from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) were seen coming out of the office carrying several files. These were kept on the back seat and in the boot of the Mahindra car in which Banerjee arrived.

Sources said the ED's searches were related to a money laundering case, and the proceeds of crime were traced to I-PAC. The ED has alleged that proceeds from the alleged Bengal coal scam case were given to I-PAC for its work in the 2022 Goa assembly elections for the TMC.