ED Moves Calcutta High Court After Accusing Mamata Banerjee of Removing Evidence During I-PAC Raids

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the Calcutta High Court. This is a major legal and political fight. The agency says the Chief Minister interfered during an ED I-PAC raid on Thursday, 8 January 2026.

They claim she entered the building and took away important evidence, including mobile phones, hard disks, and documents. This clash between a state leader and a federal agency has created a huge legal crisis. The court will hear the case today.

Inside the Showdown: The Raids and the Allegations

The trouble began early Thursday morning when ED officers arrived at the home of Pratik Jain, who is a leader at I-PAC and the head of the TMC IT cell. The officers were investigating a large coal smuggling and money laundering case.

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The ED says the raid was peaceful at first. Then, Mamata Banerjee arrived with many police officers. The agency claims she personally took electronic devices and lists of election candidates. Banerjee says she was only protecting her party’s private data from being stolen. However, the ED argues she broke the law by stopping their work.

What Happens After an ED I-PAC Raid?

People are now asking if a Chief Minister can be punished for stopping a federal search. In India, it is a crime to block a public officer from doing their job. The ED wants the court to help them get the missing evidence back. They also want protection for their officers.

Legal experts believe the court might appoint a special observer to watch future raids. They could also tell the local police to stay away from ED operations. For the people of West Bengal, this shows a serious breakdown between state and central power. The line between local and federal authority is now very thin.

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This event is more than just a fight between two political parties. It shows that election data and strategies are now part of legal battles. By calling I-PAC documents "evidence," the ED may start looking into other political consultants across India.

At the same time, the Chief Minister’s actions set a new example for how states might fight back against federal raids. However, the Calcutta High Court’s decision will be very important. It will set the rules for how the government and state leaders interact during the 2026 elections.