West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday dramatically arrived at the residence of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) chief Pratik Jain in Kolkata, where the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was conducting search operations, alleging that the central agency was attempting to confiscate sensitive internal documents and digital data belonging to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). The high-voltage political episode quickly escalated into a fresh confrontation between the state government and central investigative agencies, reviving memories of earlier standoffs between Banerjee and federal authorities.

The chief minister reached Jain’s residence around noon, shortly after Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma arrived at the spot. Banerjee remained inside the premises for nearly 20 to 25 minutes before emerging with a green folder in her hand, an image that immediately dominated political discourse in the state. Addressing reporters outside the house, Banerjee accused the ED of overstepping its mandate and targeting her party under the guise of an investigation.

“ED raided my IT sector office and searched the residence of the in-charge of my IT sector. They were confiscating my party’s documents and hard disks, which contain details about our candidates for the Assembly polls. I have brought those back,” Banerjee said, holding up the folder as proof of her claim. She alleged that the agency was attempting to take away hard disks, mobile phones, candidate lists and confidential strategy documents of the Trinamool Congress.

Questioning the role of the central agency, Banerjee asked, “Is it the duty of the ED to collect political party data?” She described the raid as politically motivated, unconstitutional and aimed at weakening the ruling party ahead of elections. According to the chief minister, Pratik Jain is not just a political consultant but also the person in charge of the TMC’s IT and media cell, making the alleged seizure of digital material particularly sensitive.

The ED searches were not limited to Jain’s residence. Search operations were also underway at the office of the Indian Political Action Committee in Kolkata, even as senior state police officials remained present at multiple locations. Banerjee later visited I-PAC’s Sector V office in Salt Lake, where Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar was also present, further underlining the seriousness with which the state government was treating the issue.

Launching a scathing attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Banerjee alleged that constitutional agencies were being systematically misused to intimidate opposition parties. “This is not law enforcement, this is political vendetta. The home minister is behaving like the nastiest home minister, not someone who protects the country,” she said, accusing the Centre of turning investigative agencies into political tools.

Pointing to the file she carried while exiting Jain’s residence, Banerjee claimed that ED officials were in the process of walking away with party documents and had even attempted to take a laptop. She alleged that the agency was selectively collecting political information rather than focusing on its statutory mandate of investigating financial crimes.

The chief minister also linked the raids to what she described as a broader pattern of electoral manipulation. She alleged that the names of more than 15 lakh people from West Bengal had been deleted from electoral rolls without proper explanation, suggesting that central agencies were working in tandem to influence electoral outcomes in the state.

“This is happening because elections are approaching. They are trying to collect our internal data and simultaneously deleting voters’ names,” Banerjee claimed, adding that her government had so far shown restraint despite repeated provocations.

The episode immediately drew sharp reactions from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, accused the chief minister of interfering in the functioning of constitutional agencies and obstructing investigations. He termed Banerjee’s visit to the raid site “unethical, unconstitutional and direct interference” in an ongoing probe.

“I feel that the chief minister and the Kolkata police commissioner’s visit was unethical, unconstitutional and direct interference in the central agency’s investigation,” Adhikari told reporters. He also questioned why internal documents of the Trinamool Congress were allegedly being stored with a private consultancy firm, arguing that this itself raised serious questions that warranted investigation.

Adhikari further said that action should be considered against the chief minister as per the law, accusing her of repeatedly setting a dangerous precedent by physically intervening during central agency operations. The BJP has long alleged that Banerjee shields individuals and entities close to her party whenever investigative agencies move against them.

The standoff evoked memories of a similar confrontation in 2019, when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) attempted to question then Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar at his residence on Loudon Street. On that occasion, Banerjee had rushed to the spot, accused the Centre of political vendetta, and later staged a dharna in central Kolkata, turning the episode into a major political flashpoint.

Thursday’s events appeared to follow a similar script, with Banerjee once again positioning herself as the defender of federalism and state autonomy against what she describes as central overreach. Her physical presence at the site of the ED raid was clearly intended to send a political message, both to her supporters and to the Centre.

As of the filing of this report, the ED had not issued any official statement detailing the nature of the case under investigation or responding to the allegations made by the chief minister. The lack of clarity over the exact grounds for the searches has only added to the political controversy surrounding the operation.

The Indian Political Action Committee, founded by political strategist Prashant Kishor and later co-founded by Pratik Jain, is known for its role in election strategy, data analysis and political communication. Its close association with the Trinamool Congress, particularly after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, has made it a politically sensitive entity in West Bengal’s sharply polarised environment.

Political analysts say the incident reflects the deepening trust deficit between the Centre and the West Bengal government. For the Trinamool Congress, the ED raids reinforce its narrative of political persecution and misuse of central agencies. For the BJP, Banerjee’s actions are being portrayed as an attempt to obstruct lawful investigations and exert pressure on independent institutions.

With elections looming and political temperatures rising, the confrontation over the ED raid at Pratik Jain’s residence is likely to have wider ramifications. Whether the episode results in legal action, further political escalation, or renewed debate over the limits of state and central authority remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the clash has once again brought West Bengal’s combative political culture to the national spotlight.