Bengal Governor Gets Threat Email Day After High Drama Linked To Coal Smuggling Scam

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has received an email threatening to "blast" him, after which the authorities tightened security at his official home and office, Lok Bhawan. They also informed the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is under Amit Shah, about the threat email to Bose.

Pointing to the incident, BJP leader Amit Malviya criticised West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress boss Mamata Banerjee over the law and order situation in the state where elections will be held by April this year.

"Welcome to Mamata Banerjee's regime, where even the Governor is not safe. Law and order has completely collapsed in West Bengal," Malviya said.

"The Home Minister, Mamata Banerjee, is busy snatching incriminating files from the ED in order to protect a private firm accused of coal smuggling and money laundering. Mamata Banerjee is an unmitigated disaster," he added.

Malviya made the reference to yesterday's high-octane political drama that unfolded during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) action against the political consultancy firm, I-PAC, in connection with a coal smuggling case.

Banerjee allegedly entered the IPAC office while the ED action was going on and walked out with papers, laptops and pen drives, BJP leaders including Malviya have said.

"It was an official action which has nothing to do with politics. The ED had some intelligence. But her action showed there is something she wanted to hide," BJP leader Subhas Sarkar told reporters.

Both the ED and the Bengal government have taken the fight to the court. The state alleged political vendetta behind the ED action, while the ED complained of obstructing an investigation.

"The federal structure has been attacked by the party in power in the centre. The only leader in India who can challenge BJP is our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee," Trinamool leader Bedabrata Dutta told reporters.

Banerjee alleged the ED tried to take party-related materials, including hard disks, candidate lists and strategic documents, and accused Amit Shah of misusing central agencies.

Amid the escalating BJP versus TMC showdown, Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a protest in Kolkata on January 9 against the ED raids, as West Bengal gears up for elections in the first half of this year.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said Banerjee became the first chief minister in history who tampered with evidence during a raid on a private firm.

The Bengal chief minister is scheduled to lead a protest in Kolkata today against the ED raids.