A dramatic standoff followed ED searches at I-PAC, with Mamata Banerjee alleging political vendetta, warning she would release evidence linking Amit Shah to the coal scam, and accusing the Centre of misusing federal agencies ahead of elections.
BY PC Bureau
January 9, 2026 — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday sharply escalated her confrontation with the BJP-led Centre, accusing Union Home Minister Amit Shah of receiving funds from an alleged coal smuggling scam through BJP leaders, including state Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Addressing a protest rally in Kolkata against Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), Banerjee claimed she possessed documentary evidence stored on pen drives and warned she would make it public if the “harassment” continued.
The remarks came a day after ED officials conducted searches at I-PAC’s office in Salt Lake and at the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the coal smuggling case. The raids triggered a dramatic standoff, with Banerjee personally arriving at the I-PAC office during the operation.
“I have all those pen drives. If necessary, I will open all those,” Banerjee told supporters, defending her presence during the raid. She alleged the ED was attempting to seize the Trinamool Congress’s internal documents, including candidate lists and election strategy material, under the pretext of an investigation. “The coal scam money went to Amit Shah through BJP leaders like Suvendu Adhikari. Raid them instead,” she said.
“Don’t irate me, I will release all evidences stored in pen drives” #MamataBanerjee warns HM #AmitShah.
Mamata Banerjee alleges that coal smuggling money had changed hands & had reached Amit Shah via Suvendu Adhikari & that she has proof
“Don’t cross the Laxman Rekha” says she pic.twitter.com/OhKWVRkrSP
— Tamal Saha (@Tamal0401) January 9, 2026
Banerjee also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “control your Home Minister,” accusing Shah of targeting opposition parties while failing in his constitutional responsibilities. She described the ED action as politically motivated, particularly because I-PAC—founded by political strategist Prashant Kishor—has been closely involved in shaping the TMC’s electoral strategy ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.
The ED has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the searches were evidence-based and part of an ongoing probe into the alleged routing of proceeds of crime from coal smuggling to I-PAC. The agency has accused Banerjee of obstructing officials and forcibly removing physical and electronic evidence, including laptops, mobile phones, and documents. It has sought an urgent hearing in the Calcutta High Court, which adjourned the matter to January 14 due to overcrowding in the courtroom.
The coal smuggling case, under investigation since 2020, allegedly involves illegal mining and transportation of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited mines in the Asansol–Raniganj belt. Several TMC leaders have been questioned in the past, including Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who had earlier accused Shah of benefiting from the scam—claims the BJP has consistently denied.
The BJP hit back strongly at Banerjee’s latest allegations. Suvendu Adhikari accused the Chief Minister of obstructing federal investigations and termed her actions a “direct attack on the Constitution.” He demanded legal action against her, recalling similar confrontations with central agencies during earlier probes such as the Saradha scam.
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TMC leaders, meanwhile, described the raids as an assault on democracy. Several party MPs protesting outside Amit Shah’s office in Delhi were detained on Friday, further intensifying tensions. Opposition parties offered mixed reactions, with the Congress criticising the TMC’s protests as politically opportunistic, while the CPI(M) demanded Banerjee’s arrest over alleged evidence tampering.
As the Calcutta High Court prepares to hear the case next week, the standoff has reignited debate over the use of central investigative agencies and is widely expected to shape the political narrative ahead of the high-stakes West Bengal elections.
