‘Is it ED’s job to collect party plans?: Mamata Banerjee slams central agency after I-PAC raids

A routine Enforcement Directorate (ED) search escalated into a political confrontation in Kolkata on Wednesday after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the central agency of targeting Trinamool Congress (TMC) party documents during raids linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC.

The ED carried out searches at two locations — the central Kolkata residence of Pratik Jain, a senior functionary of I-PAC, and the firm’s office at the Godrej Waterside building in Sector V, Salt Lake. Jain is widely known as a key member of Banerjee’s election strategy team, India Today reported.

As news of the raids spread, TMC leaders and supporters gathered outside the Sector V office, triggering heightened tension in the area.

Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister alleged that the ED action was aimed at accessing sensitive political material rather than pursuing a financial investigation. “It is most unfortunate that the ED came to our office to collect candidate lists, party strategy, plans and confidential documents,” Banerjee said.

She directly accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of orchestrating the move. “The nasty and naughty Home Minister who cannot keep the country safe is behind this. Amit Shah wants to collect our party’s candidate list,” she said, adding that names were being deleted in one case while documents were being seized in another.

Banerjee also questioned the manner in which the documents were taken. “They are taking my party documents. There were no guards. On one side there is the SIR case where names are being deleted, and on the other, they are collecting documents,” she said.

Raising questions about the agency’s mandate, the Chief Minister asked, “Is it the duty of the ED and the home minister to collect candidate lists, party strategy and party plans?”

Drawing a comparison, she added, “If I get BJP party documents, what will be the result?”

Explaining her decision to personally intervene, Banerjee said she acted after learning about the searches. “I rang up Pratik because he is in charge of my party’s work. ED has raided my IT office in Sector V, so I am moving there as well,” she said, as she headed to the Salt Lake location.

The BJP responded sharply, with senior leader and Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari accusing the Chief Minister of interfering with the functioning of a central agency. “I will not comment on the raid. The ED will answer why the raid is going on. Mamata Banerjee has a history of disrupting the work of the central agencies. What Mamata did today was obstruct the investigation. ED will surely take action against the Chief Minister as well, using its powers,” he said.

Pratik Jain is a co-founder of the Indian Political Action Committee and currently heads the IT cell of the Trinamool Congress. Founded by political strategist Prashant Kishor ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, I-PAC has worked closely with the TMC and the West Bengal government, particularly after the 2019 elections.