West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi-led central government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at the Kolkata residence of Pratik Jain, co-founder of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC). The episode triggered intense political confrontation, with Banerjee accusing the Centre of misuse of central agencies for political ends and the BJP countering that her actions amounted to interference in an ongoing investigation.

The controversy erupted after the ED carried out searches at multiple locations across the country, including Jain’s residence in Kolkata, in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to illegal coal smuggling and other financial irregularities. As news of the raid spread, Mamata Banerjee personally visited Jain’s house, a move that immediately escalated tensions between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition BJP.

Addressing reporters during the high-voltage scene outside Jain’s residence, Banerjee accused the Centre of orchestrating politically motivated raids ahead of elections. Using a sharp Hindi phrase to underline her allegations, she said, “Karte loot, bolte jhooth. They loot our papers, our strategy, and even our voters, and then they lie.” She went on to accuse the BJP of “looting West Bengal” and predicted a political downfall for the party in the state.

In a direct appeal to the Prime Minister, Banerjee said, “I am sorry, but Mr Prime Minister, you must control your Home Minister.” Her remarks were aimed at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whom she and other opposition leaders have frequently accused of directing central agencies to target political opponents.

Banerjee also raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted in the state. She alleged that voter names were being deliberately deleted during the revision process to influence electoral outcomes. According to her, the ED raids and the alleged manipulation of voter lists were part of a broader strategy to weaken the Trinamool Congress ahead of elections.

“What will be the result if I raid the BJP party office?” Banerjee asked rhetorically. “On one side, they are deleting the names of voters through the SIR process in West Bengal. On the other, they are collecting all information about my party in the name of investigations. We are exercising restraint, but this cannot go on indefinitely.”

The chief minister’s presence at the raid site drew immediate criticism from the BJP, which accused her of crossing constitutional boundaries. Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, termed Banerjee’s visit to Jain’s residence as “unethical, unconstitutional and direct interference” in the functioning of a central investigative agency.

Speaking to reporters, Adhikari said that a sitting chief minister visiting a location during an ED raid set a dangerous precedent. “I feel that the chief minister and the Kolkata police commissioner’s visit was unethical, unconstitutional and a direct interference in the central agency’s investigation,” he said, adding that the ED should take action against Banerjee as per the law if required.

The BJP has consistently alleged that the Trinamool Congress shields individuals close to the party leadership when they come under investigation by central agencies. Adhikari reiterated this charge, claiming that the chief minister’s actions reinforced the perception that the TMC was attempting to influence or obstruct due legal process.

Pratik Jain, at the centre of the controversy, is a co-founder of the Indian Political Action Committee, a political consultancy firm known for working with several political parties across India. Jain is also the head of the Trinamool Congress’s IT cell, a fact that has added to the political sensitivity of the raid. I-PAC had worked closely with the Trinamool Congress and the West Bengal government after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, playing a role in strategy, data analysis and campaign management.

The ED, however, sought to distance its actions from political considerations. In an official statement responding to Mamata Banerjee’s allegations, the agency said that the searches were “evidence-based” and not targeted at any political establishment. According to the ED, the raids were part of an ongoing investigation into illegal coal smuggling and associated money laundering activities.

“The search is evidence-based and is not targeted at any political establishment,” the agency said. It clarified that searches were being conducted at 10 locations—six in West Bengal and four in Delhi—and that the investigation related to the generation of illicit cash, hawala transfers and other financial transactions connected to the coal smuggling case. The ED also emphasised that no party office had been searched and that the operation was not linked to any election.

Contradicting claims that the raids were connected to a fake job scam, the ED stated that the searches were part of a “regular crackdown on money laundering.” It stressed that all actions were carried out in accordance with established legal safeguards.

In a strongly worded assertion, the agency alleged that certain individuals, including constitutional functionaries, had illegally intruded into two of the premises being searched. “Certain persons, including constitutional functionaries, have come to two premises out of ten, intruded illegally by misusing their position and snatched away documents,” the ED claimed, escalating the standoff between the central agency and the state government.

The incident has once again highlighted the deepening confrontation between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly accused the Centre of weaponising central agencies such as the ED and the CBI to harass opposition leaders and destabilise elected state governments. The BJP, in turn, has maintained that these agencies are acting independently and are simply enforcing the law against corruption and financial crimes.

Political observers note that such confrontations have become increasingly frequent in West Bengal, especially ahead of major elections. The ED raids, Banerjee’s dramatic visit to the raid site, and the sharp exchange of allegations underscore the intense mistrust between the state government and the Centre.

As the investigations continue, the episode is likely to fuel further political rhetoric on both sides. For the Trinamool Congress, the raids reinforce its narrative of alleged central overreach and political vendetta. For the BJP, the chief minister’s actions provide grounds to question her commitment to the rule of law and institutional autonomy.

With elections on the horizon and political temperatures rising, the clash over the ED raid at Pratik Jain’s residence appears set to become another flashpoint in West Bengal’s increasingly polarised political landscape.