In the lead-up to the crucial state and local body elections across India, a disturbing pattern has emerged: central and state investigative agencies conducting raids on political consultancy firms that shape opposition strategies.
On 8 January 2026, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the Kolkata office of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) in Salt Lake and the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, on Loudon Street. I-PAC, which manages the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s election strategy for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls in March 2026, became the center of a political storm when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at the sites, alleging the raid aimed to steal sensitive TMC data.
The ED linked the action to a 2020 coal smuggling money-laundering case, claiming proceeds of nearly Rs 10 crore were routed to I-PAC via hawala for services during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections. Banerjee reportedly left with files and a hard disk, prompting the ED to accuse her of obstructing the probe and tampering with evidence.
Just days later, on 13 January 2026, Pune Crime Branch officials visited the office of DesignBoxed Innovations Pvt Ltd in Vakdewadi-Shivajinagar, a firm handling the civic poll strategy for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Ajit Pawar.
This occurred amid high-stakes municipal elections in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls on 15 January 2026.