§  “WHO EATS COAL MONEY.?” Mamata’s actual words at Kolkata rally

§  Money goes through Jagannath (BJP MP) → Suvendu Adhikari → Amit Shah

§  I have pen drives. You’re lucky I haven’t released them.

§  Cross Lakshman’s boundary line at your peril

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has unleashed a scathing political attack, directly naming Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari as recipients of money from the coal scam. Her explosive allegations came during a major rally in Kolkata on Friday, January 9, 2026 in response to an Enforcement Directorate raid on the I-PAC political consultancy office—the firm advising her Trinamool Congress party.

The dramatic confrontation marks an unprecedented escalation in center-state relations in poll-bound West Bengal, where elections are scheduled for April-May 2026. Mamata’s public accusations represent her most direct assault yet on the ruling BJP’s senior leadership, connecting them to an ongoing criminal investigation into coal smuggling and money laundering.

Most provocatively, Mamata claimed to possess evidence in pen drives and warned the BJP: “You are lucky I have not released the pen drives yet. If someone crosses Lakshman’s boundary line, then I cannot handle you.” The comment is widely interpreted as a threat to publicly release what she alleges is incriminating evidence against top BJP leaders.

The ED Raid: Trigger For Political Explosion

On Thursday, January 7, 2026, the Enforcement Directorate conducted simultaneous raids at ten locations across West Bengal and Delhi, targeting political consultancy firm I-PAC and individuals linked to an alleged coal smuggling and money laundering racket. The raids targeted two primary locations in Kolkata: I-PAC’s office at Godrej Waterfront in Sector V, Salt Lake and the residence of I-PAC co-founder Pratik Jain on Loudon Street.

The ED’s stated case emerged from a CBI investigation registered in November 2020 into allegations that a coal smuggling syndicate led by Anup Majee illegally excavated coal from Eastern Coalfield Limited leasehold areas around Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman district. According to the ED, coal was subsequently sold to various factories and plants across West Bengal districts including Bankura, Bardhaman and Purulia.

The ED alleged that proceeds from illegal coal sales—reportedly worth tens of crores—were routed through hawala operators to I-PAC. This is where the political dimension emerges: I-PAC’s connection to TMC makes the investigation appear directly targeted at the party’s electoral machinery just months before crucial state elections.

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Mamata’s Dramatic Intervention And The Missing Documents

What began as a routine ED investigation transformed into high-octane political theater when Mamata personally intervened. Around midday, after learning of the raids, the Chief Minister traveled to both locations, including I-PAC’s office and Pratik Jain’s residence, where ED officials were actively searching.

At Jain’s residence, Mamata entered the premises while ED officials were conducting their search. She emerged with files, laptops, pen drives and documents—items the ED maintains should have remained as evidence. The Enforcement Directorate later moved the Calcutta High Court, alleging that Mamata obstructed the investigation by removing incriminating evidence from ED custody.

Mamata’s explanation was politically charged: she claimed ED officials were attempting to steal TMC’s internal party documents, including candidate lists, electoral strategy documents and confidential election preparation materials for the 2026 Assembly elections. In her telling, the ED was using a criminal investigation as pretext to sabotage TMC’s electoral preparations.

“The ED transferred all data relating to our election strategy, our candidate list and the work we are doing to help people from the hard discs, iPhones and laptops,” she told reporters. “The elections will be over by the time we prepare these again.”

Mamata’s Explosive Coal Scam Allegations

During a 10-kilometer protest march through Kolkata and subsequent rally at Hazra, Mamata delivered her most direct accusations. She systematically outlined what she claims is a money trail connecting coal scam proceeds directly to the BJP’s top leadership.

The Alleged Chain

Mamata publicly named the money transfer sequence: “They talk about coal scam money. But who eats coal money.? How is it eaten.? It goes through traitors. Jagannath to Suvendu to Amit Shah, this is the chain.”

Breaking this down

Jagannath Sarkar - Mamata identified him as a BJP MP from West Bengal and called him a “big dacoit” (major thief). She alleged he serves as an intermediary in the money transfer process.

Suvendu Adhikari - The Opposition Leader in the West Bengal Assembly, Adhikari is characterized by Mamata as a “gaddar” (traitor) and “Amit Shah’s adopted son.” She alleged he received money from Jagannath and forwarded it to the Union Home Minister.

Amit Shah - Union Home Minister, whom Mamata directly accused of being the ultimate beneficiary of coal scam proceeds. She questioned: “Who takes the coal money.? Amit Shah takes it. The Home Minister.! How does he take it.? Through traitors. Through Jagannath. Through Suvendu Adhikari.”

Mamata’s Threat: “I Have Pen Drives”

Perhaps most dramatically, Mamata warned the BJP against pushing her further. She threatened to release documentary evidence she claims exists in pen drives, warning: “You are lucky I have not released the pen drives yet. Remember Lakshman’s boundary line. If you cross it, I cannot handle you anymore.”

The reference to Lakshman’s boundary line is significant in Hindu mythology, where Lord Rama’s brother Lakshman drew a protective circle that should not be crossed. Mamata’s invocation suggests she views the BJP’s actions as having crossed fundamental lines of propriety and democratic governance.

She further stated: “I know many things. I speak nothing just for the country’s good. If you push me, I can bring out a lot of things.”

This suggests Mamata possesses documents, recordings or evidence that she believes implicates top BJP leadership in wrongdoing but has refrained from releasing them.

Context: I-Pac And Its Political Role

To understand the significance of the ED raid, the role of I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee) is crucial. I-PAC is a political consultancy firm that has worked for multiple parties across India, including Congress, DMK in Tamil Nadu and others. However, since 2019-2020, it has been closely associated with Mamata’s Trinamool Congress, managing the party’s electoral strategy, booth-level organization and IT/media operations.

For the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, I-PAC played a pivotal organizational role, helping TMC achieve a landslide victory with 213 seats. The firm is now preparing TMC’s campaign strategy for the 2026 elections.

This context makes the ED raid’s timing politically charged. Three months before crucial state elections, an investigation into I-PAC’s finances could disrupt TMC’s electoral machinery at a critical juncture. Whether or not criminal allegations have merit, the timing allows both interpretations: genuine law enforcement investigation or political interference.

Suvendu’s Counter-Attack And Legal Notice

Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari has responded aggressively to Mamata’s allegations. He issued a legal notice to the Chief Minister, demanding she provide evidence within 72 hours to support her accusations or face defamation proceedings.

Adhikari also challenged Mamata’s narrative regarding document seizure. He alleged that Mamata removed the candidate list proposal and a laptop from I-PAC premises during the raid. “Mamata took away the laptop but nobody knows what’s inside,” Adhikari stated, turning Mamata’s accusations against her.

He questioned the consistency of Mamata’s position: if she believes she did nothing wrong by removing documents from an ED search, why should the ED similarly be criticized for its search operations.?

Political Implications And Election Context

The coal scam allegations and ED raid unfold against West Bengal’s crucial 2026 electoral backdrop. The state faces Assembly elections in April or May 2026, with TMC’s supremacy being challenged by the rising BJP. The state also faces the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls—a process that has become politically contentious, with TMC alleging systematic deletion of genuine voters to favor the BJP.

Mamata’s escalated accusations serve multiple strategic purposes

·       Narrative Control: By directly accusing the BJP’s top leadership of coal money corruption, she reframes the ED investigation from a probe into TMC’s activities to a probe into BJP’s alleged criminality.

·       Voter Mobilization: Her dramatic interventions and fiery speeches energize TMC’s base, portraying her as standing against federal tyranny.

·       Center-State Confrontation: The accusations intensify center-state conflict, making the election partly about federal overreach versus state autonomy—a theme that historically mobilizes opposition to the center.

Broader Context: Agency Accusations

Mamata has long accused the Modi government of misusing central agencies against opposition-ruled states and opposition leaders. She pointed to multiple instances: the Saradha scam, Narada scam and various CBI investigations. “They work for Modi in 2014, for Chandrababu Naidu, for Nitish Kumar, for Jagan Reddy. Now the ownership has changed,” she alleged, suggesting I-PAC was politically neutral before being allegedly weaponized against her.

She further alleged the Election Commission is complicit, with its chief being formerly the Home Ministry’s Cooperation Department Secretary. She accused the Election Commission of deliberate voter deletion through SIR to weaken TMC’s electoral position.

BJP’s Response And Counter-Allegations

The BJP categorically denies Mamata’s allegations. Party leaders argue that the ED investigation targets a private consultancy firm accused of money laundering, not the TMC party directly. They question why Mamata is concerned if her party has done nothing wrong.

BJP leaders allege that Mamata’s removal of documents and devices from an active ED search constitutes obstruction of justice and evidence tampering. They accused her of demonstrating the TMC’s complicity in criminal activities by her desperate protection of I-PAC materials.

The party also turned Mamata’s own allegations against her, with opposition leader questioning her silence and alleged involvement in the very coal smuggling she accuses the BJP of benefiting from.

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Legal Consequences And Ongoing Investigations

Multiple legal processes are now underway

·       ED’s High Court Petition: The Enforcement Directorate filed a plea in the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI investigation into Mamata for allegedly obstructing the ED’s investigation and removing evidence.

·       West Bengal Police FIR: TMC-aligned West Bengal Police filed a First Information Report against ED officials, alleging procedural violations and unauthorized operations.

·       Suvendu’s Defamation Notice: Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari’s legal notice to Mamata demands evidence or threatens defamation prosecution.

·       I-PAC’s High Court Petition: The firm itself filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court challenging the ED’s searches.

These legal battles will determine the investigation’s progression and potentially impact the electoral narrative.

Conclusion: Democracy Under Strain

The coal scam allegations, ED raid and Mamata’s dramatic interventions represent a troubling pattern in Indian democracy: the intersection of genuine criminal investigation, political opposition, electoral competition and allegations of institutional abuse. Whether the coal scam investigation is legitimate law enforcement or political weaponization remains contested. What is clear is that public trust in institutions has deteriorated significantly.

Voters in West Bengal must distinguish between substantive allegations requiring investigation and political theater. The real victims—whoever is ultimately found culpable for coal smuggling and money laundering—deserve justice regardless of political affiliation. Similarly, central agencies must function with genuine independence rather than perceived political instrumentality.

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