ED raids Madan Mitra, police search Abhishek Banerjee's home in Bengal probe
Synopsis
The ED raided Madan Mitra's residences in Kolkata over a multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job case, while West Bengal Police searched Abhishek Banerjee's home the same morning. TMC's Kirti Azad hit back, calling it the BJP's 'old method' of targeting the opposition — and revived the 2016 Narada sting to put Suvendu Adhikari on the defensive.
Key Takeaways
The ED raided two residences linked to Madan Mitra in Kolkata on 13 June in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job case .
West Midnapore Police separately searched Abhishek Banerjee's residence to trace his executive assistant, Sumit Roy .
TMC MP Kirti Azad called the raids an 'old method' of the BJP to distract from issues like rising prices, unemployment, and the NEET paper leak.
Azad counter-alleged that Suvendu Adhikari had a pending CBI case from the Narada sting operation of 2016 , questioning why it was not pursued.
The BJP and TMC have been in sustained political conflict over central agency actions in West Bengal .
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad on Saturday, 13 June launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided party leader Madan Mitra and West Bengal Police searched the residence of party Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, calling the actions an 'old method' of the ruling party at the Centre.
What the Raids Involved
The ED on Saturday carried out simultaneous raids and search operations across multiple locations in Kolkata and adjoining districts in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job case in West Bengal. Among the premises searched were two residences linked to Madan Mitra, the Trinamool legislator from the Kamarhati Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district.
Separately, a team from West Midnapore Police conducted searches at the residence of Abhishek Banerjee early on Saturday to trace his executive assistant, Sumit Roy.
What Kirti Azad Said
Speaking to reporters, Azad said: 'This is not breaking news. Opposition parties are targeted, though not even one per cent have been convicted. It is an old method of the BJP.'
He alleged a deliberate political motive behind the timing, adding: 'Probably they need Madan Mitra now. They want to break Abhishek Banerjee. It shows their mentality. They want to engage the media in such things so that no discussions would be held on rising prices, employment and NEET paper leak.'
Narada Sting and Counter-Allegations
Azad also turned the spotlight on West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who has been vocal about probing corruption in the state. Azad said: 'West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has been asked to investigate corruption and take action against those who are guilty. But what about Suvendu Adhikari himself, who was allegedly caught taking five lakh rupees and had a CBI case against him?'
Azad was referring to the Narada sting operation, made public in 2016, which reportedly showed several Trinamool Congress leaders — including Adhikari and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar — accepting bribes. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had subsequently sought the Lok Sabha Speaker's permission to prosecute four political leaders in the case, including Adhikari, who was a Trinamool MP when the tapes surfaced. Azad questioned whether those cases had been quietly dropped, asking: 'What happened to that case? Was it cleaned in a washing machine?'
Broader Context
The raids come amid an already fraught political climate between the BJP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. Opposition parties have repeatedly accused the Centre of deploying central agencies selectively against political rivals — a charge the BJP denies, maintaining that all agency actions follow due legal process. This is not the first time ED searches have targeted TMC-linked figures in connection with the municipalities job case, which has been under investigation for several months.
With the NEET paper leak controversy and cost-of-living concerns dominating national discourse, the timing of Saturday's raids is likely to deepen the political slugfest between the two parties ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
Point of View
Regardless of legal merit. What is notable is Kirti Azad's counter-move: invoking the Narada sting to remind the public that several current BJP leaders in Bengal crossed the aisle from TMC with unresolved cases in tow. The selective prosecution argument gains traction precisely because of this history. For the BJP, the optics risk reinforcing the 'washing machine' narrative — the widespread perception that switching parties launders legal jeopardy. Whether the agencies can demonstrate procedural independence in their timelines and charge-sheets will determine whether these raids advance a legal case or merely a political one.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the ED raid Madan Mitra's residences?
The ED raided two residences linked to Madan Mitra, the Trinamool Congress legislator from Kamarhati in North 24 Parganas, on 13 June in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job case in West Bengal. The searches were part of simultaneous operations across multiple locations in Kolkata and adjoining districts.
Why was Abhishek Banerjee's residence searched?
A team from West Midnapore Police searched the residence of TMC Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday morning to locate his executive assistant, Sumit Roy. The search was not directly linked to the ED's municipalities job case action.
What is the cash-for-municipalities job case?
The cash-for-municipalities job case is a multi-crore corruption investigation in West Bengal alleging that jobs in municipal bodies were illegally sold for cash. The ED has been probing the case and has conducted multiple raids on TMC-linked figures over several months.
What is the Narada sting operation that Kirti Azad referenced?
The Narada sting operation, made public in 2016, reportedly captured several Trinamool Congress leaders accepting cash bribes from a fictitious company. The CBI later sought permission to prosecute four leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, who was then a TMC MP. Adhikari subsequently joined the BJP.
What has the BJP said about the raids?
The BJP has not been directly quoted in the source material responding to Azad's specific remarks. The party has consistently maintained that central agency actions follow due legal process and are not politically motivated.
