Friday World 10 January 2026
Dramatic ED Raids on I-PAC Offices and Residence On January 2026, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched simultaneous raids at multiple locations linked to Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), the key political consultancy firm closely associated with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The searches targeted I-PAC's Kolkata office in Salt Lake Sector-5 and the residence of its co-founder and director Prateek Jain on Loudon Street, along with a total of 10 premises (6 in West Bengal and 4 in Delhi).
The action is part of an ongoing money-laundering probe connected to the **coal smuggling syndicate** first registered by the CBI in **2020**. ED claims the syndicate, allegedly led by Anup Majhi alias 'Lala', carried out large-scale illegal coal mining and smuggling from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) areas, and laundered the proceeds of crime through hawala channels into entities like I-PAC.
ED maintained that the searches were “evidence-based” and not politically motivated against any party. I-PAC has been instrumental in handling TMC’s election strategy, IT, digital campaigns, media operations and organizational work, playing a major role in TMC’s landslide victory in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Mamata Banerjee's Immediate and Explosive Intervention** As soon as news of the raids broke, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot. ED teams arrived at around 6 AM, but Mamata reached **Prateek Jain’s residence** by 11:45 AM and later proceeded to the I-PAC office.
She accused ED officials of attempting to steal TMC’s internal election strategy documents, candidate lists, hard disks, laptops, mobiles and confidential files ahead of the crucial 2026 Assembly polls. Mamata declared: “ED came at 6 in the morning, I reached at 11:45. By then many things could have been stolen.”
She described the entire operation as a “political vendetta” orchestrated by the BJP with the sole intention of stealing TMC’s secret 2026 election blueprint and weakening the party before the polls.
Direct Attack on Amit Shah: “Nasty, Naughty Home Minister” In her sharpest attack, Mamata targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally: “Is Amit Shah’s job to take away party hard disks and candidate lists? This nasty, naughty Home Minister who cannot protect the country is busy stealing my party’s documents.”
She further claimed that proceeds from the coal scam had reached senior BJP leaders including Amit Shah, Suvendu Adhikari and Jagannath Sarkar, and asserted that she possesses solid evidence in a pen drive which she will make public if necessary.
Mamata also filed an FIR against ED officials and clarified that she intervened only in her capacity as TMC Chairperson (not as Chief Minister) and did nothing unlawful.
Massive 10-km Protest March on 9 January On 9 January 2026, Mamata led a massive protest march from Jadavpur to Hazra Crossing covering nearly 10 kilometres. Thousands of TMC workers, MPs, MLAs, ministers and leaders joined the rally amid loud slogans of “BJP misuses agencies”.
Addressing the crowd, Mamata said: “Yesterday felt like a rebirth for me. Political attacks give me new life.” She warned the BJP: “Fight the 2026 elections democratically, otherwise BJP will get zero seats in Bengal.”
She also condemned the “shameful” treatment meted out to TMC MPs (including Mahua Moitra and Derek O’Brien) who were detained by Delhi Police while protesting outside Amit Shah’s office.
ED & BJP's Strong Counter-Attack The ED filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court accusing Mamata Banerjee of obstructing the search operation, seizing key evidence (laptops, phones, documents) and misusing state police. ED demanded a CBI probe into her conduct and described her actions as interference in a federal investigation.
High Court Chaos: Hearing Adjourned to 14 January** During the hearing of ED and TMC petitions in the Calcutta High Court, massive crowds and commotion forced Justice Subra Ghosh to leave the courtroom. The matter has been adjourned to 14 January 2026,
I-PAC's Official Statement
I-PAC described the day as “unfortunate” for a professional organization and said the raids set an “unsettling precedent”. The firm reiterated full cooperation with the investigation.
This high-voltage political drama is widely seen as a major flashpoint ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Mamata calls it a direct assault on democracy and political revenge, while the BJP insists it is an attempt to shield corruption.
Will this episode weaken TMC or galvanize Mamata’s supporters even more? The coming days will tell.
Sajjadali Nayani ✍
Friday World 10 January 2026
