West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee spearheaded a major protest rally in Kolkata on Friday, directly targeting the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The demonstration came just a day after the central probe agency conducted simultaneous raids at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its chief.
Massive Protest in Jadavpur Against Central Agencies
The rally was organized near the 8B bus stand in the Jadavpur area, drawing a large gathering of TMC leaders, workers, and supporters. The crowd raised strong slogans, accusing the central government of misusing investigative agencies like the ED to intimidate and harass opposition parties. Heavy police deployment was observed throughout the area to manage the situation.
This public show of strength was a direct response to the ED's search operations on Thursday. Officials had split into teams and raided three locations between 6:05 am and 6:30 am: the Kolkata office of I-PAC in Salt Lake's Sector V tech hub, the Loudon Street apartment of I-PAC director Pratik Jain, and a businessman's home in Posta, north Kolkata.
The Raids and Escalating Political Conflict
The TMC has vehemently opposed the ED's actions, claiming the agency attempted to access the party's confidential internal data and election strategy during the searches at I-PAC's office. I-PAC's official website lists both the Trinamool Congress and the Bengal government as its clients.
The ED, however, stated it is investigating I-PAC — founded by political strategist Prashant Kishor — in connection with a 2020 money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam. The agency filed a complaint alleging that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at Pratik Jain's residence during the search with a large police contingent.
"Proceedings were being conducted in a peaceful and professional manner till the arrival of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee," the ED's complaint states. It further accuses her of taking away key evidence, including physical documents, a hard drive, and a mobile phone, thereby obstructing the investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Mamata Banerjee, who visited Jain's apartment around noon and stayed for about seven minutes, dismissed the raids as "a vendetta crime" by the central government.
Protests Spread to Delhi and Beyond
The political confrontation quickly escalated beyond Kolkata. On the same Friday, several TMC Members of Parliament, including prominent leaders Derek O'Brien and Mahua Moitra, staged a protest near Kartavya Bhavan in New Delhi. Police detained the MPs, citing that prohibitory orders were in force in the area due to security concerns.
Earlier, TMC leaders in Kolkata also claimed they were forcibly removed by police when they tried to stage a peaceful demonstration against the ED action. The party has announced its intention to organize protests across West Bengal and at the national level, framing the issue as a battle for democratic freedom against the ruling dispensation's overreach.
The incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tussle between the TMC-led state government and the central administration, with the alleged misuse of central agencies becoming a central rallying point for the opposition.
