‘Nasty, naughty home minister’: Clutching hard disk & files, Mamata fumes at Amit Shah after ED raids poll strategist

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that ED officials were attempting to seize TMC’s hard disks. (Courtesy: PTI)

• ED raids IPAC office and Pratik Jain's home, Mamata Banerjee questions Amit Shah
• Banerjee claims ED seeks party strategy, not financial info, during elections
• BJP accuses Banerjee of interfering in probe, hiding documents during ED raids

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After the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted searches at the IPAC office in Kolkata and at the residence of senior I-PAC functionary Pratik Jain, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the role of Union home minister Amit Shah.

“…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 and is taking away all my party documents. What will be the result if I raid the BJP party office? On one side, they are deleting the names of all the voters by carrying out the SIR in West Bengal…Because of the elections, they are collecting all the information about my party…," Banerjee said.

#WATCH | Kolkata | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, "...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 and is taking away all my party documents. What will be the result… https://t.co/idhFZnWuEjpic.twitter.com/rMjcef7Vhn

— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2026

Claiming that the ED was trying to access the ruling party’s internal strategy, candidate lists and confidential digital material, Banerjee said such information had no link to any financial probe.

While addressing the media, Mamata Banerjee was seen holding a green file, which became a talking point for BJP leaders, who claimed she was hiding something.

According to the ED, the searches were part of an ongoing probe into the fake job racket and were being conducted based on material evidence.

BJP hits back

BJP party national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleging that the chief minister interfered in an ongoing investigation. Claiming that Banerjee visited Pratik Jain’s residence during the ED raids, Bhandari told News18 that she was seen leaving with a file and a mobile phone, asking, “What is she hiding? What is she trying to protect? Who is she trying to shield?"

He also alleged that the ED action had exposed an “illegal money trail" linked to the Trinamool Congress, accusing the party of using IPAC as a front to camouflage funds. The Trinamool Congress has not responded to the BJP’s allegations so far.

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari termed Banerjee's visit to Jain's house during the ED raid  "unconstitutional and interference" in the central agency's probe.

He said that the ED should take steps against the chief minister.