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After ED raids, Mamata sits on dharna at I-PAC office in Kolkata, targets BJP, Amit Shah: ‘Never seen such dacoits’

Mamata Banerjee said the ruling TMC will launch “protest marches in every block and ward of the state” against the ED raids against I-PAC.

2 min readJan 8, 2026 03:32 PM IST

The chief minister also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying, “I have never seen such dacoits”. (PTI Photo)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday sat on a dharna at I-PAC’s office in Kolkata’s Salt Lake to protest against the Enforcement Directorate raids against the top political consultancy group and its head, Pratik Jain, as she questioned the role of the central agency and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Earlier in the day, ED conducted multiple searches at several locations linked to I-PAC, including Jain’s house, and the office of a trader in Posta, Burrabazar, in connection with a money laundering case.

While speaking to reporters at the spot, Mamata, who also went to Jain’s house, claimed officials attempted to seize her party, Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s hard disks as well as internal documents and sensitive data during raids.

“Such a raid on our party office is a crime. I-PAC is our authorised team. We do file income tax. In the name of the raids, they transferred information on our election details and SIR details.”

Also Read | After ED raids I-PAC office, head Pratik Jain’s home, Mamata Banerjee says agency ‘trying to get party internal documents’

She alleged that voter names were being deleted in West Bengal during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise, linking the move to the election process. “Is it the duty of ED and Amit Shah to collect the party’s hard disk, candidate list?… The nasty home minister, who cannot protect the country, is taking away all my party’s documents. What will be the result if I raid the BJP party office?” she asked.

The chief minister also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying, “I have never seen such dacoits”. “They snatched our election strategy. They looted all our documents… They can’t fight with us politically, now they are looting.”

“They seized all our documents. I took those documents. On Thursday evening, our party will hold protest marches in every block and ward of the state.”

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After Mamata reached the I-PAC office, Rajeev Kumar, Director General of Police, Nandini Chakraborty, Chief Secretary, and Jagdish Prasad Meena, Home Secretary, also arrived at the building.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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