On Friday, the Income Tax Department initiated searches at the residences of key Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including Debashish Kumar, who is contesting from Rashbehari assembly seat, and Miraj Shah, a proposer of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's candidature in Bhabanipur. These raids come just days before the assembly elections scheduled for April 23 and 29, prompting sharp criticism from Banerjee. She accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using central agencies to intimidate political opponents. Kumar, while acknowledging the searches, claimed they would not affect his electoral prospects and expressed gratitude towards the officers involved. The TMC's spokesperson, Jay Prakash Majumdar, also condemned the raids as politically motivated. In response, BJP leaders accused the TMC of corruption and defended the IT Department's actions as independent of political influence. Protests erupted outside the residences of the searched leaders, highlighting the tense political climate in West Bengal as elections approach.