TMC MPs Detained Outside Amit Shah's Office as ED Raids Escalate Tension in Bengal

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A dramatic showdown unfolded in Delhi on Friday as eight Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs, including Mahua Moitra, were detained outside the office of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The MPs were protesting the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) raids on the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office in Kolkata, which they claim is a case of 'political vendetta' against the ruling TMC in West Bengal. The standoff began on Thursday when ED officials conducted raids at I-PAC chief Pratik Jain's residence and the group's office in Kolkata. TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the search locations, alleging that the ED was 'looting' sensitive TMC documents. The ED, however, maintained that the search proceedings were peaceful until Banerjee arrived with a large police contingent. The ED raids are linked to individuals involved in coal smuggling, according to the agency. The TMC, however, sees it as an attempt by the Centre to intimidate opposition parties ahead of elections. The party's MPs, who were detained outside Shah's office, held placards that read 'Bengal rejects Modi-Shah's dirty politics' and accused the Centre of misusing central agencies. Banerjee described the ED raids as an act of 'political vendetta' and accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misusing constitutional agencies to intimidate opposition parties. The incident has escalated tensions between the Centre and the TMC, with both sides trading barbs on social media.