Kolkata witnessed high political tension on Thursday after the Enforcement Directorate carried out raids at the offices of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its senior functionary Pratik Jain in connection with a money-laundering investigation. The action drew a strong reaction from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who accused the central agency of attempting to seize confidential documents linked to the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The ED conducted searches at Jain’s residence on Loudon Street in central Kolkata and at I-PAC’s office located at Godrej Waterside in Sector V, Salt Lake. Officials said the searches were part of a wider probe into an alleged coal pilferage case, which originated from a CBI FIR registered in 2020. The agency claimed that funds generated from illegal coal mining activities were diverted for political consultancy work during elections.
As news of the raids spread, senior TMC leaders and supporters gathered outside the I-PAC office, leading to a tense situation. The Bidhannagar Police Commissioner also reached the spot to manage the situation. Mamata Banerjee, who was initially present at Jain’s residence, later went to the Sector V office after being informed about the ongoing search. 
Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister alleged that ED officials were trying to take away TMC’s internal political material, including candidate lists, strategy papers and digital data. She questioned the role of the agency, asking whether it was empowered to seize political party documents. Banerjee directly blamed Union Home Minister Amit Shah, claiming the action was politically motivated and aimed at weakening the ruling party ahead of elections.
She further said that she personally intervened to prevent the removal of party documents, calling the raid an attack on democratic functioning. The Chief Minister also announced a statewide protest later in the day against what she described as misuse of central agencies.
The ED, however, rejected the allegations and said the searches were strictly related to a money-laundering investigation and had no connection with elections or political strategies. The agency alleged that some individuals had interfered with the search process and removed documents from the premises.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari criticised Mamata Banerjee’s actions, accusing her of obstructing the work of a central agency. He termed her visit to Jain’s residence as unconstitutional and demanded action against her.
I-PAC, founded by political strategist Prashant Kishor, has worked closely with the TMC in recent years, especially after the 2019 elections. The investigation remains ongoing, with both political and legal tensions continuing to rise in the state.
