Trinamool MPs, Including Mahua Moitra & Derek O'Brien, Stage Protest Outside Amit Shah's Office Over ED's I-PAC Raids; 8 Detained

New Delhi: Following the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) raids at multiple locations linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC, among them its Kolkata office and the residence of its director Pratik Jain yesterday, Trinamool Congress MPs, including Derek O'Brien, Satabdi Roy, Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, staged protest outside Home Minister Amit Shah's office today. As per the video, the Trinamool MPs can be seen being dragged by the police. 

Following the chaos, the Delhi Police stated at least 8 TMC MPs have been detained in this regard and they will be released considering the prevailing situation.

In one video, struggling Mahua Moitra can be seen saying, “We will defeat BJP.” TMC's Derek O'Brien, while being picked up by the cops, resisted to their attempt and lay down on the ground. He can be heard saying, "You are seeing what is happening with the MPs, all our MPs have been picked up."

TMC leaders on ED raids

TMC MP Kirti Azad said, "ED conducted the raids in a wrong way, and this is an attempt to win the elections in an undemocratic manner, BJP will not win the elections this manner..."

Commenting further on the ED raids, TMC MP Satabdi Roy says, "...They sent the team of ED yesterday and they remember everything during the time of elections...They send the teams of ED, CBI during the elections just to win, but they won't win the elections..."

Mamata Banerjee's protest rally today

A day after a dramatic standoff with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) during its raids on political consultancy firm I-PAC’s office and residence in Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead a protest rally on Friday. 

The TMC supremo had announced the rally against the central probe agency's searches, which she claimed were an attempt to “loot” her party's documents.

Mamata Banerjee will reportedly carry out the protest rally from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Hazra crossing, and has urged people to take part in the over 5-km long rally.

Banerjee referred to Pratik Jain as in-charge of her party Trinamool Congress's (TMC) IT cell. She said that the ED raids were part of “political vendetta” and the ED used them to feed data, poll strategies and information into its system.

Mamata Banerjee questions ED searches at I-PAC office

High political drama unfolded in West Bengal on Thursday after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached the offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC even as the Enforcement Directorate was conducting search operations in connection with the coal smuggling case. 

Questioning the ED's actions, Banerjee alleged that the central agency had seized party-related materials, including hard disks, candidate lists and strategic documents, and accused Union Home Minister 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.

Mamata Banerjee after the raid yesterday 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 Enforcement Directorate (ED) accused West Bengal CM Banerjee of entering the residential premises of Prateek Jain, the director of top political consultancy group I-PAC, during its ongoing search operation in Kolkata and taking away "key evidence", including physical documents and electronic devices.

BJP vs Trinamool

This development in West Bengal has led to a sharp face-off between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. The BJP mounted a sharp attack on Mamata Banerjee, alleging that her actions raised “disturbing questions.” 

In a post on X, the party said the sight of a sitting Chief Minister rushing to an investigation site to secure party documents and hard disks suggested an attempt to hide incriminating evidence. 

"If there is nothing to hide in West Bengal, why would a Chief Minister scramble to secure files from an official investigation site?" the BJP said, adding that Bengal would “vote for the BJP.” BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal also alleged irregularities involving I-PAC and its founder, Prashant Kishor.

On the other hand, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh led party workers and leaders in a protest in Kolkata against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), after ED conducted raids at the I-PAC office. 

Addressing the media during the protest, Ghosh alleged a political conspiracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and claimed that the central agencies were being misused to target the ruling party in West Bengal ahead of elections. 

"When the 'vote chhor' BJP saw that its 'vote chori' is failing, they hatched this conspiracy of 'data chori'," he said, questioning the timing of the probe. "I-PAC is an adviser to us, and today an attempt has been made to steal the data and blueprint regarding our campaign," Ghosh added.

ED searches at I-PAC office

The federal agency inspected I-PAC’s Salt Lake office and Pratik Jain’s home on Loudon Street in Kolkata early this morning yesterday. Nearly ten places, including four in New Delhi, were covered during the operation, according to officials. During the searches, central paramilitary forces were used. 

Since then, the ED has filed a claim of obstruction during the raid with the Calcutta High Court. The hearing is scheduled for this Friday.