West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walks out of the house of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) chief, Pratik Jain, during a raid by the Enforcement Directorate on Jain’s residence, in Kolkata
| Photo Credit:
ANI
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday moved the Calcutta High Court alleging obstruction of its ongoing probe into an alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam, after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee barged into the home of political consultancy firm I-PAC’s chief Pratik Jain even as a raid was on there.
In its petition filed before the High Court, ED has urged a judicial intervention over what it describes as “hindrance and obstruction” caused by the Chief Minister to its officers executing searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Justice Suvra Ghosh, before whom the matters were mentioned, is likely to take them up for hearing on Friday.
The Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at ten premises, including the office of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of Jain in Kolkata, to probe into the alleged multi-crore rupee coal pilferage scam.
The search operation, which began at 6 am, continued for over nine hours. During ongoing raids, Banerjee barged into the home of the I-PAC’s chief, Pratik Jain, and walked out with files and a cellphone even as an ED raid was on there.
Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, alleged that the raids were “politically motivated to steal party data” relating to the party’s strategy document and candidate list for the upcoming Assembly polls in Bengal.
“They [BJP] are great killers of democracy. How can they do it [raid I-PAC co-founder residence]. What will happen if we reciprocate this ED search by raiding BJP party offices in Bengal,” Banerjee told media persons.
Later in the day, the Chief Minister said 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 of the BJP”.
evidence taken
In a statement, the ED alleged that Banerjee entered Jain’s residence and took away key 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, obstructing government officers from carrying out their duties, trying to hide the accused persons. TMC cannot be separated from this corruption. TMC leaders are involved in the coal scam. The Chief Minister’s raid on the office of I-PAC puts a seal on it. She took away the files. This is unwanted from a Chief Minister of a State,” West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya said.
I-PAC on Thursday also moved the Calcutta High Court over the central agency’s searches at its offices and residence of its chief Pratik Jain.
The family of Jain filed a police complaint against ED, alleging theft of important documents during the raids.
Published on January 8, 2026
