Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 8 : BJP state President and Member of Parliament Samik Bhattacharya on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after she entered the premises of political consultancy firm I-PAC during the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid and tried to "protect" those allegedly involved in financial irregularities.
Speaking to reporters, Bhattacharya alleged Mamata Banerjee's interference in the probe. "Who does the constitutional head want to protect by snatching the evidence and files? She (Mamata) did it to protect those who are involved in the coal scam and Hawala cases," the BJP leader said.
Bhattacharya alleged that the Mamata's actions surrounding the ED raid reflected an attempt to derail investigations into alleged scams. "It is a black day for West Bengal," he said.
He further asserted that the people of the state were closely watching developments and would respond democratically in the forthcoming Assembly elections. "The people of West Bengal have decided to do 'visarjan' of TMC in the 2026 elections," Bhattacharya said.
The BJP's remarks came amid a dramatic political confrontation after the ED carried out searches at multiple locations, including the I-PAC office at Kolkata, as part of a nationwide probe.
Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee visited the I-PAC office on a public road and accused the central agency of unlawfully seizing party-related data, laptops, mobile phones, and strategic documents. She alleged that forensic experts transferred data during the raid, calling it a "crime" and daring Union Home Minister Amit Shah to fight the Trinamool Congress (TMC) democratically in Bengal.
The Chief Minister claimed the ED confiscated sensitive party documents, including data related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, despite the TMC being a registered political party that regularly submits income tax details.
Banerjee also alleged large-scale irregularities in the SIR process, claiming that 54 lakh voter names had been deleted due to so-called "logical discrepancies," disproportionately affecting women and young voters. She further alleged that notices were even sent to eminent personalities, including economist Amartya Sen, and accused the BJP of being responsible for 72 deaths allegedly linked to stress caused by the SIR exercise.
Meanwhile, ED sources stated that the searches were conducted in accordance with legal safeguards. The agency claimed that certain individuals, including constitutional functionaries, illegally entered two premises and forcibly removed documents.