Mamata Banerjee leads mega march against ED raids at I-PAC
What's the story
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday led a protest in Kolkata against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following its raid on the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office on Thursday. The protest march started from Jadavpur 8B Bus Stand and will end at Hazra More. Banerjee has slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government for allegedly stifling democratic protests and misusing law enforcement. She said, "Dignity and respect in a democracy are non-negotiable."
Twitter Post
Watch video of march here
#WATCH | Kolkata | TMC Chairperson and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee leads a rally following the ED raid on I-PAC yesterday pic.twitter.com/CkYfedjywC
— ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2026
Protest details
Banerjee criticizes BJP-led central government
The protest comes after several Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs were detained in Delhi on Friday morning for protesting outside Union Home Minister Amit Shah's office against the ED raid. Banerjee took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the treatment meted out to TMC MPs. She wrote, "I strongly condemn the shameful and unacceptable treatment meted out to our Members of Parliament."
ED
What ED is saying
The ED has claimed that its team was conducting search proceedings peacefully until Banerjee arrived with a large number of police officials. It maintained its actions are part of an investigation into a coal pilferage scam. It alleged that Banerjee took various documents and electronic evidence during the ongoing ED raids. Calling the act an obstruction in the ongoing investigation and proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED has approached the Calcutta High Court.
Legal proceedings
TMC moves court against ED's actions
In its petition, the ED alleged that around ₹20 crore of Hawala funds from alleged coal pilferage in West Bengal had made its way into I-PAC. The ED sought the immediate restoration of all digital devices, electronic records, storage media, and documents that were "illegally and forcibly" taken away from the search premises. Countering the ED, the TMC has also approached the Calcutta High Court seeking a stay on the misuse and dissemination of documents seized during the ED's raids.