In a dramatic escalation of tensions, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday led a massive protest march covering approximately six kilometers in Kolkata, just hours after personally lodging two First Information Reports (FIRs) against unidentified officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
FIRs Lodged After ED Raids on Political Consultancy
The unprecedented legal action by a sitting chief minister followed searches conducted by the central agency on Thursday. The ED raided the Salt Lake office of political consultancy firm I-PAC, which works for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and the Loudon Street residence of its director, Pratik Jain. The searches were part of an investigation connected to an alleged coal scam.
Banerjee herself visited Jain's home during the search operation, leaving with a green folder, a hard disk, and a phone. She later proceeded to the I-PAC office in the Godrej Waterside building in Sector V, where she drafted the complaints that led to the FIRs.
The first FIR was registered at the Shakespeare Sarani police station on Friday morning based on an email complaint sent by the CM on Thursday night. It invokes sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 303 (theft), 332 (criminal trespass), and 3(5) (criminal intimidation), along with section 66 of the IT Act (tampering with electronic data). Police have collected CCTV footage from Jain's residence to probe the allegations. A second FIR was filed at the Electronic Complex police station in Sector V.
"Right to Defend Myself": CM's Rally Address
Addressing a rally at the culmination of the two-hour march from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Hazra crossing, Banerjee defended her actions. "What I did was in the capacity of Trinamool chairperson. I did nothing wrong," she stated. She accused the ED officials of acting like thieves, alleging they stole sensitive data during their five-hour search before her arrival.
"If you come to kill me, I have every right to defend myself. Why did you come like a thief?... You stole everything for five hours. You came to steal information - SIR data, voter information, BLA names, and phone numbers," the Chief Minister claimed.
She also highlighted I-PAC's past associations, noting that the consultancy had worked for the BJP in 2014 when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, as well as for other political leaders like Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar. "They handle our IT cell. We have just one such consultancy firm. They (BJP) have so many, yet they have declared a war," Banerjee said.
Political Allegations and Legal Counterclaims
The CM launched a direct attack on the BJP, alleging links between Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, and the coal scam. She claimed coal money was funneled to Amit Shah through Adhikari, whom she called a "traitor" and Shah's "adopted son." She issued a veiled threat, saying, "You are lucky I have not released any pen drives yet. If you cross limits, I will expose you."
In response, Suvendu Adhikari issued a legal notice to the Chief Minister, demanding she provide all purported evidence against him within 72 hours. He threatened civil and criminal defamation action if she failed to comply.
Banerjee further broadened her criticism, targeting the central government's management of borders and law and order. "Rioters are in govt — what else can you expect?... Have you forgotten Godhra, Unnao, Delhi, or Pulwama?" she questioned, alleging a pattern of failures.
Joint Commissioner of Bidhannagar City Police, Badana Varun Chandra Sekhar, commented on the ongoing investigation, stating, "We are still in a nascent stage of the investigation and can’t comment. We are looking into all available evidence and are speaking to witnesses."
The protest march saw thousands of TMC workers and supporters lining the route, with children offering flowers to the Chief Minister, underscoring the deeply political nature of the confrontation between the state government and central agencies.
