West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walks out of the house of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) chief Pratik Jain during an Enforcement Directorate raid on Jain’s residence in Calcutta | Photo credit: ANI
In its petition filed in the Supreme Court, ED has sought judicial intervention over what it termed as “obstruction and obstruction” caused by the chief minister to his officials conducting searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Judge Suvra Ghosh, before whom the cases were mentioned, is likely to hear them for hearing on Friday.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at ten buildings, including the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office and Jain’s residence in Calcutta, to investigate the alleged multi-crore rupee coal theft.
The search, which started at 6 a.m., lasted more than nine hours. During ongoing raids, Banerjee barged into the house of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain and walked out with files and a mobile phone even as an ED raid was taking place there.
Trinamool Congress supremo Banerjee alleged that the raids were “politically motivated to steal party data” related to the party’s strategy document and list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Bengal.
“She [BJP] are great killers of democracy. How can they do it [raid I-PAC co-founder residence]. What will happen if we answer this ED quest by raiding BJP party offices in Bengal,” Banerjee told the media.
Later in the day, the Chief Minister said that an FIR will be registered against this action of the ED. She said protests would be held in all blocks of the state against this “attack by the BJP”.
Evidence taken
In a statement, the ED alleged that Banerjee entered Jain’s residence and took away important evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices.
“Today, Mamata Banerjee intervened in an ongoing investigation by a central agency in a criminal case. This is destruction of evidence, hampering government officials in discharging their duties, in an attempt to hide the suspects. TMC cannot be separated from this corruption. TMC leaders are involved in the coal scam. The Chief Minister’s raid on I-PAC office puts a seal on it. She has taken away the files. This is undesirable from a Chief Minister of a state,” said Samik, BJP president of West Bengal. said Bhattacharya.
I-PAC on Thursday also informed the Calcutta High Court about the central agency’s searches of the offices and residence of its chief Pratik Jain.
Jain’s family filed a police complaint against ED, alleging theft of important documents during the raids.
Published on January 8, 2026
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