ED raids the premises of TMC IT cell head and I-PAC chief Prateek Jain in the 2021 coal smuggling case. CM Mamata Banerjee called it political revenge of BJP. He also accused him of disrupting the elections.
Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) suddenly raided the house and office of Prateek Jain, IT cell head of Trinamool Congress and head of political advisory agency I-PAC in West Bengal. The searches took place at I-Pac’s office in Salt Lake and Prateek Jain’s house in Kolkata. According to initial information, this action is related to the coal smuggling case of 2021. The arrival of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Prateek Jain’s house during the search was quite dramatic. Mamata alleged that BJP is taking political revenge by using central agencies.
Mamta’s strong protest against BJP
The Chief Minister alleged that the ED is trying to seize the party’s internal documents, list of candidates and hard disks. He also strongly criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Bengal Chief Minister asked, ‘What will happen if we (state police) conduct such raids on BJP offices?’ During the raid, Mamata reached the spot carrying a green file and told the media that she had come to save the party’s documents. He also alleged that the Center was trying to hinder the work of Trinamool Congress ahead of the elections. Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma was also present on the spot. The Chief Minister asked whether it is the job of the Home Ministry and the Home Minister to raid the offices of the IT wing of political parties. He said that the central government is trying to seize party documents by using central agencies. Mamta also alleged that this action of ED before the elections is to break the party. I-PAC played a big role in making Trinamool Congress win in the 2021 assembly elections. After this incident, the political atmosphere in West Bengal has once again heated up.
Bengal moving towards election war
The term of the West Bengal Assembly is ending in May 2026 and an election atmosphere is beginning to develop in the state. Bengal may see a direct contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the main opposition party BJP. A major political controversy has already arisen over the removal of more than 58 lakh voters in the Special Scrutiny (SIR) of the voter list before the elections. On one hand, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is busy touring her area and in public relations programs, while on the other hand, BJP is also making its strategy under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. BJP is trying to make corruption and migration the main election issues. Meanwhile, CPM has also become active in campaigning with padyatras and other campaigns across the state in the hope of returning to power.