The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has launched a strong offensive against the Enforcement Directorate (ED), accusing the central agency of violating the party's "right to privacy" by allegedly accessing sensitive election strategy documents during recent raids. The TMC contends that these actions are a politically motivated attempt to undermine their electoral prospects in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.

The controversy stems from ED raids conducted on January 8, 2026, at premises linked to the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), a political consultancy firm that managed the TMC's successful 2021 election campaign, and the residence of its chief in Kolkata. The ED stated that the searches were part of an ongoing money laundering investigation related to a coal smuggling case and were not related to the election. However, the TMC alleges that the ED seized documents containing confidential information, including candidate details, campaign strategies, and electoral roll management data.

Rajya Sabha MP and TMC leader Saket Gokhale asserted that the ED's actions were targeted and politically motivated, orchestrated at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He claimed the raids were an attempt to weaken the opposition's electoral prospects, a charge vehemently denied by the central government.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also responded sharply, accusing the central government of undermining federalism and democratic integrity by misusing agencies like the ED and CBI against opposition-ruled states. Banerjee personally visited the raid site and accused the ED of attempting to "steal" the party's internal strategy. She also voiced concerns about the Election Commission, alleging that the BJP had manipulated the mandate in Maharashtra and was attempting to replicate this in Bengal by deleting genuine voters' names.

In response, the TMC has approached the Calcutta High Court, seeking urgent restraint against the alleged "misuse and dissemination" of the seized material. The party argues that the ED's actions were "arbitrary, mala fide, and colourable," exceeding the permissible scope of investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The TMC is urging the court to prevent the ED from accessing, using, or sharing the seized data for any purpose unrelated to the specific money laundering probe.

The ED has not officially commented on the TMC's petition but has maintained that its operations were lawful and linked to the broader investigation into the coal smuggling racket. The agency has also accused Mamata Banerjee of obstructing their officials during the raid and removing documents from the premises, even approaching the Calcutta High Court regarding the same.

This incident underscores the ongoing tensions between the TMC and the central government, raising concerns about the potential misuse of central agencies for political purposes. The Calcutta High Court's decision on the TMC's petition could have significant implications for the upcoming elections and the broader political landscape in West Bengal.