According to ED sources, a special team arrived from the national capital early in the day and carried out searches at multiple locations. The agency later said operations were underway at 10 premises—six in West Bengal and four in Delhi—connected to alleged cash generation and hawala transactions related to the coal scam.
As the searches continued, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached Jain’s residence around noon. Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma arrived shortly before her. Banerjee later visited I-PAC’s Salt Lake office, where officials were seen leaving with files and documents.
Reacting strongly, Banerjee accused the central government of using investigative agencies to intimidate political opponents. She alleged that hard disks, financial records and party documents were seized in what she described as a “planned political strategy.” Targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Minister said enforcement agencies were being misused to undermine democratic institutions and interfere with the political process.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership, including national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, announced statewide protests from Thursday afternoon, calling demonstrations in every ward against what the party termed an illegal and politically motivated action. Party workers took to the streets across districts, disrupting traffic and raising slogans against the ED and the Centre.
The ED, however, rejected allegations of political targeting. In an official statement, the agency said the searches were evidence-based and not directed at any political party or election campaign. It asserted that no political party office was searched and denied any connection between the operation and the electoral calendar.
Later in the day, the ED moved the Calcutta High Court, alleging obstruction during the search operations. The agency claimed that certain individuals, including constitutional functionaries, illegally entered search premises and forcibly snatched documents. The matter is scheduled to be heard on Friday by Justice Suvra Ghosh.
Political reactions intensified across the state. CPI(M) state secretary Mohammad Salim addressed the media, while speculation mounted within administrative and political circles due to I-PAC’s close working relationship with the TMC leadership and senior bureaucrats, particularly during elections. Meanwhile, BJP national president JP Nadda arrived in Kolkata and is expected to hold meetings with state leaders, adding to the charged atmosphere.
The developments set the stage for a legal and political showdown, with the High Court hearing likely to shape the next phase of the controversy.
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