ED-Mamata Face-Off Triggers Street Protests Across West Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has walked out with a laptop, phone and multiple documents from the house of Pratik Jain, the chief of election consultant IPAC and their offices, during a raid by the Enforcement Directorate, the central agency has alleged. The ED has gone to the High Court, alleging that Banerjee, despite being a Chief Minister, is "obstructing investigation" and "defending those involved in coal smuggling and money laundering". The court is likely to hear the matter tomorrow. 

Banerjee has claimed that the raid is politically motivated and engineered by the BJP. The ED has denied the allegations, saying the search is "evidence-based and is not targeted at any political establishment". 

"No party office has been searched. The search is not linked to any elections and is part of regular crackdown on money laundering. The search is conducted strictly in accordance with established legal safeguards," the Enforcement Directorate said in a statement.

The family of Pratik Jain has also filed a complaint with the police against the ED, alleging theft of important documents during the raid, the police said.