Mamata Banerjee's TMC Sparks Tense Standoff with ED Over Election Strategy Raid
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A high-stakes battle is unfolding in West Bengal between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over a raid on a political strategy firm linked to the party's election strategy. The ED launched searches on Thursday at the offices of I-PAC, a political consultancy firm advising the TMC, and the residence of its director Pratik Jain in connection with an investigation into an alleged coal mining racket in the state. The probe is linked to an illegal coal mining racket in West Bengal, which involved the transfer of funds to I-PAC. However, Banerjee intervened in the ED's action, storming into Jain's residence and taking away documents and a laptop, accusing the agency of seizing her party's internal documents and sensitive data related to the 2026 assembly polls. The ED countered that Banerjee's actions obstructed the investigation and proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency denied that the searches were linked to the upcoming elections, saying they were evidence-based and part of a regular crackdown on money laundering. The matter has reached the Calcutta High Court, which will hear the case on Friday. The TMC has filed a police complaint against the ED and has planned a large rally against the agency in Kolkata on Friday. The ED probe is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) First Information Report (FIR) registered in November 2020, alleging that coal was being illegally mined at Eastern Coalfields Ltd's mines in Kunustoria and Kajora in West Bengal. The anti-money laundering probe agency has previously questioned TMC's national general secretary and member of parliament Abhishek Banerjee, alleging that he is a beneficiary of funds obtained in the illegal mining. The ED said that the coal smuggling syndicate led by key accused Anup Majee used to steal and illegally excavate coal from ECL leasehold areas of West Bengal. The agency also linked the coal smuggling racket to hawala operators and handlers. The BJP's Bengal unit president Samik Bhattacharya targeted Banerjee, saying she intervened in the operations of a federal agency, violating her constitutional duty as CM. The CPI(M) and the Congress also spoke out against Banerjee, saying she overstepped her limits. The ED has claimed that the proceeds of the crime aggregate around ₹1,352 crore. The agency has also denied that the searches were linked to the coming elections, saying they were evidence-based and part of a regular crackdown on money laundering.
