ED alleges Mamata 'forcibly removed documents' during IPAC raids, CM calls Amit Shah 'nasty Home Minister'

Rejecting Banerjee’s claim that the searches were politically motivated, the ED said the operation was fact-based and not aimed at targeting any political party.

In an official statement, the agency said raids were carried out at 10 locations — six in West Bengal and four in Delhi — as part of its probe, adding that Banerjee allegedly removed files from two premises where searches were underway.

Mamata Banerjee at Pratik Jain's residence. Photo: IBNS source

“The search action was undertaken in a peaceful manner till the arrival of the Chief Minister of West Bengal along with police personnel and officers of the West Bengal administration, who forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidence in two of the premises,” the ED said.

Clarifying its position, the agency added: “The search is evidence-based and is not targeted at any political establishment. No party office has been searched. The search is not linked to any elections and is part of a regular crackdown on money laundering. The action has been conducted strictly in accordance with established legal safeguards.”

The ED said the raids were linked to a coal smuggling syndicate allegedly led by Anup Majhee, who “used to steal and illegally excavate coal from ECL leasehold areas of West Bengal”.

Meanwhile, the agency said it is planning to move court, citing what it described as illegal interference during the searches.

A major political drama unfolded after Banerjee herself reached Jain’s Loudon Street residence hours after the raids began. She was accompanied by senior police officials, including Kolkata Commissioner of Police Manoj Kumar Verma.

Shortly after arriving at the residence, the Chief Minister emerged carrying files, a laptop and a mobile phone, and launched a blistering attack on the Centre, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Calling Shah a “nasty and naughty Home Minister”, Banerjee alleged, “They were trying to seize my party documents. What will happen if I do the same with the BJP?”

She later rushed to IPAC’s office in Salt Lake Sector V amid the ongoing searches, where she secured some files and folders and sent them through her security personnel to be kept in her personal car.

Repeating her allegations at the IPAC office, Banerjee claimed that key documents related to the Trinamool Congress’ candidate list, election strategy and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) work had been “transferred” by the ED using a forensic team.

“This is a crime. Our election work is going on. Work related to SIR to help people is also ongoing. They have transferred all of that. The tables are empty,” she said, alleging that recreating the documents would take so long that elections would be over.

“If Amit Shah wants to win the election, he should fight it at the polls. But why raid our party’s IT sector and snatch away all our documents?” Banerjee added.

Reacting sharply, the BJP termed the Chief Minister’s actions “an abuse of power at its worst”.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya wrote on X that the ED’s allegations amounted to “direct obstruction of a lawful investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)”.

“That a sitting Chief Minister would intervene in this manner — not to uphold the law but to shield an agency involved in coal smuggling and money laundering — is nothing short of shameful,” Malviya said.