Political storm in Bengal: Mamata Banerjee allegedly stopped ED raid, seized phone from I-PAC official
The raid, part of a money laundering probe, faced significant resistance as dozens of police personnel and Z-category security for the Chief Minister arrived at the scene, creating a tense standoff.
- Jan 9, 2026,
- Updated Jan 9, 2026 2:14 PM IST
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allegedly obstructed an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) premises in Kolkata on Thursday. Sources linked to the probe told India Today that Banerjee intervened in the operation, allegedly seizing a mobile phone from Pratik Jain, an I-PAC official, and contributing to the disruption of the central agency's activities.
The raid, part of a money laundering probe, faced significant resistance as dozens of police personnel and Z-category security for the Chief Minister arrived at the scene, creating a tense standoff.
ED officials reported being confronted by senior West Bengal police officers, including the Director General of Police (DGP), who allegedly directed them not to record the incident in the official panchnama report. The DGP is reported to have warned the ED team to show no recovery from the raid to avoid arrest, escalating the conflict.
The ED claimed its officers were subjected to intimidation and pressure to manipulate the outcome of the operation. Independent witnesses, present to ensure the transparency of the raid, were reportedly harassed by Kolkata Police personnel and members of the Chief Minister's staff. This behaviour, according to sources, aimed to disrupt the agency's efforts and suppress factual reporting of the incident.
Mamata Banerjee strongly denied the ED's allegations. She argued that the ED attempted to confiscate internal data, hard disks, and strategy documents pertinent to the Trinamool Congress's election planning. She labelled the raid as politically motivated and unconstitutional, asserting that she was merely retrieving her party's documents, which she insists are unrelated to the money laundering probe.
The situation underscores the ongoing tension between the West Bengal government and the central agency, with each side maintaining conflicting accounts of the events at the I-PAC premises. The ED contends its officers faced coercion, while Banerjee argues the documents in question have no connection to any illicit investigation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allegedly obstructed an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) premises in Kolkata on Thursday. Sources linked to the probe told India Today that Banerjee intervened in the operation, allegedly seizing a mobile phone from Pratik Jain, an I-PAC official, and contributing to the disruption of the central agency's activities.
The raid, part of a money laundering probe, faced significant resistance as dozens of police personnel and Z-category security for the Chief Minister arrived at the scene, creating a tense standoff.
ED officials reported being confronted by senior West Bengal police officers, including the Director General of Police (DGP), who allegedly directed them not to record the incident in the official panchnama report. The DGP is reported to have warned the ED team to show no recovery from the raid to avoid arrest, escalating the conflict.
The ED claimed its officers were subjected to intimidation and pressure to manipulate the outcome of the operation. Independent witnesses, present to ensure the transparency of the raid, were reportedly harassed by Kolkata Police personnel and members of the Chief Minister's staff. This behaviour, according to sources, aimed to disrupt the agency's efforts and suppress factual reporting of the incident.
Mamata Banerjee strongly denied the ED's allegations. She argued that the ED attempted to confiscate internal data, hard disks, and strategy documents pertinent to the Trinamool Congress's election planning. She labelled the raid as politically motivated and unconstitutional, asserting that she was merely retrieving her party's documents, which she insists are unrelated to the money laundering probe.
The situation underscores the ongoing tension between the West Bengal government and the central agency, with each side maintaining conflicting accounts of the events at the I-PAC premises. The ED contends its officers faced coercion, while Banerjee argues the documents in question have no connection to any illicit investigation.