On Friday, 9 January, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lodged two complaints with the police against the Enforcement Directorate following raids conducted at the office of the India Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its co-founder, Pratik Jain. The complaints were filed in response to the ED’s search operations, which quickly turned into a major political flashpoint in the state.

According to reports, the complaints were registered at the Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and the Electronic Complex Police Station in Kolkata. An important detail emerging from these complaints is that no official of the Enforcement Directorate has been named. Instead, First Information Reports have been lodged against unidentified individuals, a move that has drawn attention amid the rising political tension.

As per reports, the Kolkata Police have taken suo motu cognisance of the complaint filed at the Shakespeare Sarani Police Station. This means the police have initiated action on their own, without waiting for further instructions, and have begun examining the complaint independently.

Reacting to this development, BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar alleged that Mamata Banerjee filed the two complaints to ‘save’ the accused. Criticising her actions, he said, “I request the Chief Minister to at least maintain the dignity of her chair,” suggesting that such conduct was unbecoming of someone holding the highest executive office in the state.

Meanwhile, the issue has also reached the judiciary. Three petitions have been listed before the Calcutta High Court in connection with the raids. One petition has been filed by the Enforcement Directorate, another by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), and the third by Pratik Jain himself.

“Mamata Banerjee Obstructed Probe”: ED Moves High Court

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walked out with a laptop, a phone, and multiple documents from the residence of Pratik Jain, the head of election consultancy firm I-PAC, as well as from the organisation’s offices, during the raid. Based on these allegations, the central agency has approached the High Court.

The ED has claimed that Banerjee, despite being the Chief Minister, is “obstructing investigation” and “defending those involved in coal smuggling and money laundering.” The court is likely to hear the matter tomorrow.

At the same time, the Trinamool Congress has also approached the court against the ED. Mamata Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool chief, has accused the agency of stealing the party’s election documents. A hearing in this matter is also likely to be held on Friday.

Banerjee has maintained that the raid was politically motivated and engineered by the BJP. The Enforcement Directorate has rejected these allegations, stating that the search was “evidence-based and is not targeted at any political establishment.”

Questioning the purpose of the raid, the Chief Minister said, “They came to collect our party's hard disk, candidate list, party strategy and party plan. Is it the duty of ED and Amit Shah?”

Responding to these claims, the Enforcement Directorate clarified that no party office had been searched. In its statement, the agency said, “No party office has been searched. The search is not linked to any elections and is part of regular crackdown on money laundering. The search is conducted strictly in accordance with established legal safeguards.”

Separately, the family of Pratik Jain has also filed a complaint with the police against the ED, alleging theft of important documents during the raid, police officials said.

Understanding I-PAC

I-PAC is a political consultancy firm started by Prashant Kishor, who has now entered active politics. His Jan Suraaj Party contested the recent Bihar assembly elections but failed to win any seats. Kishor has indicated that he is in politics for the long term and, for now, plans to focus on building support among young people.

I-PAC has worked as the political consultant for the Trinamool Congress since the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections. After that election, the firm extended its contract with the party until 2026. Apart from offering political consultancy, I-PAC also manages the TMC’s IT and media operations.

What Took Place at Pratik Jain’s Residence

The sequence of events began early in the morning, with ED officials reaching Pratik Jain’s residence at around 7.30 am. Around noon, personnel from the state police arrived at the spot, followed shortly by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Describing the sequence, the ED stated, “The search action was undertaken in a peaceful manner, till the arrival of Chief Minister of West Bengal along with police personnel and officers of West Bengal administration, who forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidences in two of the premises,” according to the agency’s statement.

The ED further alleged that the Chief Minister’s convoy then moved to the I-PAC office. The agency said, “The CPA's convoy then proceeded to I-PAC's office premises, from where Ms Banerjee. her aides, and the state police personnel forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidences. The above actions have resulted in obstruction in ongoing investigation and proceedings under the PMLA,” the statement added.

The Enforcement Directorate also clarified that it was conducting searches at ten locations, six in West Bengal and four in Delhi. These searches, the agency said, were connected to the “coal smuggling syndicate led by Anup Majee that used to steal and illegally excavate coal from ECL leasehold areas of West Bengal.” The agency added that the searches were being carried out under the anti-money laundering law.

Mamata Banerjee’s Account

Speaking to reporters outside Jain’s residence, Mamata Banerjee alleged that the ED officials had “taken our party data, laptop, iPhone and party election strategy including SIR... They have taken our tax papers, our bank account details... You have taken out all data. It is an insult to all the IT sector. Is it not a crime? I am waiting for justice.”

Warning of resistance, she said, “We are gentle, we are sober, but if you give me pain, I won't stay quiet. This is not a private organisation. IPAC is authorised by us and they are our team. If we build the data now, the election will be over,” referring to the upcoming assembly elections, where she is aiming for a fourth consecutive term.

Calling the BJP a killer of democracy, Banerjee questioned whether it would be acceptable if “I raid their party office.”

She further alleged voter deletion, stating, “In the name of SIR, 1.5 crore voters have been deleted. If you have the courage, fight with us electorally Amit Shah ji.”

Explaining why she went to Jain’s residence, the Chief Minister said, “I was calling Pratik Jain, but he didn't answer his call. So I found out what happened. Then I went there to his residence and saw the ED.”

BJP and Opposition Trade Charges

The episode has triggered another confrontation between the BJP and opposition parties. BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, tagging Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, wrote on X, “When a Chief Minister personally removes ostensibly incriminating documents from an office that is being searched by the ED (or any other empowered body), she is wilfully putting herself above the Constitution & Rule of Law. Are some people more equal than others?”

Opposition leaders responded quickly. Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said in a post on X, “ED now raids political consultants because it has failed to raid facts, truth or credibility. IPAC raid in Kolkata is yet another chapter in the BJP's playbook of coercion. When democracy is inconvenient, agencies are weaponized.”

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav added, “The BJP is losing badly in Bengal. First proof!”

The Coal Smuggling Case

According to the Enforcement Directorate, its investigation has revealed that a coal smuggling syndicate allegedly led by Anup Majee was involved in illegal excavation and theft of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited leasehold areas in West Bengal. The illegally mined coal was reportedly sold to factories and plants located in districts such as Bankura, Bardhaman, and Purulia.

The probe further found that a significant portion of the illegally sourced coal was supplied to the Shakambhari Group of companies. Investigators also uncovered a hawala network allegedly used to layer and transfer the proceeds of crime. Based on statements and other evidence collected during the investigation, the agency said the hawala nexus was confirmed.

The ED has claimed that one hawala operator facilitated transactions involving tens of crores of rupees to Indian Pac Consulting Private Limited (I-PAC), which has emerged as one of the entities linked to the alleged hawala money trail.