A dramatic five-hour confrontation unfolded in Kolkata on Thursday as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directly intervened during searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at premises linked to the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC). The sequence of events saw the Chief Minister rushing to a private residence, seizing documents, and then leading a virtual siege at a corporate office, accusing the central agency of a political witch-hunt.
Noon Drama at Loudon Street Residence
The day's high-stakes political drama began just before noon on January 9, 2026. ED officials had initiated a search operation at the Loudon Street residence of I-PAC director Pratik Jain. Anticipating the move, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma arrived at the scene around 11:45 am.
Minutes later, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself rushed into the house. She emerged shortly after, holding a green plastic folder and a laptop. Banerjee claimed these items contained crucial internal information belonging to her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC). She departed from Jain's residence at 12:40 pm.
Confrontation at Salt Lake's Godrej Waterside
From Loudon Street, Banerjee proceeded directly to Sector V in Salt Lake, where parallel ED raids were underway at the official offices of I-PAC. She entered the Godrej Waterside building complex at 12:40 pm, bypassing central security personnel by using the basement entrance and a general elevator to reach the I-PAC office on the 11th floor.
As ED officials continued their search inside, a large crowd of TMC supporters and senior leaders gathered outside the building. Prominent figures including Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation councillor Debraj Chakraborty, MLA Sujit Bose, and Sabyasachi Dutta arrived and positioned themselves around the elevator banks.
In an unprecedented move, TMC supporters took control of five elevators, restricting access exclusively to police and party members. Other IT employees in the building were redirected to different elevator banks, and several elevators servicing the 11th floor were either shut down or operated only with special permission. Inside the cordoned area, supporters organized a continuous supply of water and tea for those standing guard.
Allegations of Data Hijacking and Political Vendetta
Addressing the media from the building's basement, a visibly agitated Mamata Banerjee launched a fierce attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ED. She alleged that her party's confidential political strategies and Strategic Information Report (SIR) data had been "hijacked" by the agency.
"They have transferred all our papers and data using a forensic team. All the tables are empty. This is a crime," the Chief Minister stated. She accused the ED of acting as a political tool to sabotage the TMC's preparedness for upcoming elections.
Banerjee further claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were attempting to "control" her through these "undemocratic and unjust" raids. She framed the action as a direct assault on her party's democratic functioning.
The standoff continued for hours until 4:46 pm, when Banerjee left the I-PAC office to attend an official event at Babughat to inaugurate a transit camp for the Gangasagar Mela. Before departing, she issued a stern warning: "I will be back. Bengal will not tolerate this assault." The ED's raid and the Chief Minister's direct, prolonged intervention marked a significant escalation in the ongoing political tensions between the TMC and the central government.
