Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 9: West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari on Friday strongly criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's reaction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), calling it a "completely criminal offence" and a "direct attack on the Constitution."
Speaking to the reporters, Adhikari said," It is a completely criminal offence. The CM's action is a direct attack on the Constitution."
He further added that all central agencies, including the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), follow established laws and procedures when taking action.
"When the BJP govt comes to power, our govt will take action against everyone...All agencies, including ED and CBI, follow laws and procedures to take any action. They did not take permission for the protest," Adhikari added.
This comes after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee allegedly interfered during an ED raid in Kolkata at the offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC in connection with the coal smuggling case.
Banerjee questioned the legality of the raid, alleging that the central agency had seized party-related materials, including hard disks, candidate lists and strategic documents, and accused Amit Shah of misusing central agencies.
"Is it the duty of the ED, Amit Shah, to collect the party's hard disk, candidate list? The nasty, naughty Home Minister who cannot protect the country is taking away all my party documents," Banerjee said while speaking to reporters.
"At 6:00 am, they arrived and seized the party's data, laptops, strategies, and mobile phones. Their forensic experts transferred all the data. I believe this is a crime," she said.
Countering the Chief Minister's allegations, the ED accused Mamata Banerjee of entering the residential premises of Prateek Jain, director of I-PAC, during the ongoing search operation and taking away "key evidence", including physical documents and electronic devices.
"Banerjee entered the residential premises of Prateek Jain and took away key evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices," the ED said, adding that her convoy then proceeded to I-PAC's office, from where "Ms Banerjee, her aides and the state police personnel forcibly removed physical documents and electronic evidence".
Today, TMC MPs in Delhi staged a protest at the Home Ministry in Delhi, raising slogans against Amit Shah, alleging "misuse" of the probe agency. Delhi Police later detained the TMC MPs and took them to Parliament Street police station.