News18 Evening Digest: ED Accuses Mamata Banerjee Of Obstructing Probe During I-PAC-Raids & Other News

In today’s News18 evening digest, we bring to you the latest on I-PAC Raids in Kolkata as the Enforcement Directorate’s search operations in West Bengal and Delhi have sparked a massive political confrontation

between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre; Row Erupts As National Herald Bags 69% Of Karnataka Ad Spend, and other top news.

High Drama Over I-PAC Raids: Mamata Banerjee Alleges Strategy Theft, ED Says She Obstructed Probe

The Enforcement Directorate’s search operations in West Bengal and Delhi have sparked a massive political confrontation between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre. Read more

‘CM, Her Aides Forcibly Removed Documents’: ED Moves Calcutta HC Amid Row Over I-PAC Raids

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of forcibly entering the premises of the I-PAC office and the residence of its chief consultant, Prateek Jain, and taking away key evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices. The ED has moved the Calcutta High Court, which has agreed to hear the matter on Friday. Read more

‘Open Loot’: Row Erupts As National Herald Bags 69% Of Karnataka Ad Spend, Outpaces Major Dailies

The Karnataka government’s disproportionate allocation of public advertisement funds to the Congress-linked National Herald newspaper, despite its negligible readership and virtually no circulation footprint in the state — or even nationally, has triggered a fresh political storm in the state. According to documents accessed by CNN-NEWS18, National Herald emerged as the single largest beneficiary of Karnataka’s advertisement spending among national newspapers for two consecutive financial years. In 2023–24, the newspaper received Rs 1.90 crore from the state exchequer. In 2024–25, it was allotted nearly Rs 99 lakh. Read more

‘Sink Some American Boats’: Russia Talks Tough After US Seizure Of Vessels Off Venezuela Coast

Russian lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlev on Thursday issued an incendiary warning to the United States following the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker by US forces in the North Atlantic, suggesting that Washington could be confronted militarily if it continues what Moscow views as unlawful actions on the high seas. Read more

BJP Slams Pakistan ‘Apologists’ As Docs Reveal Islamabad Contacted US 60 Times After Op Sindoor

BJP leader Amit Malviya on Thursday hit out at “Pakistan apologists,” citing US government filings to claim that Pakistan contacted senior American officials nearly 60 times following India’s Operation Sindoor and spent around Rs 45 crore on lobbying efforts to push for a ceasefire. Read more

ED Raids Kolkata Office Of Mamata Banerjee’s Poll Strategist; BJP, TMC Spar Amid Controversy

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday carried out searches at multiple locations in Kolkata, including the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its senior functionary Pratik Jain, as part of an ongoing probe. ED teams conducted raids at at least five locations across the city, though officials have not disclosed details of the case so far. Read more

Tilak Varma Ruled Out Of T20I Series Against New Zealand: Report

Star Indian middle-order batter Tilak Varma will miss the five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand, which is set to start on January 21 in Nagpur. According to a report in the Indian Express on Thursday (January 8), Tilak has suffered an abdomen injury because of which he won’t be able to participate in the upcoming five T20Is against the Black Caps.

‘Unacceptable Suppression’: Film Producers Seek PM Modi’s Help Over Dhurandhar Ban In Middle East

The Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) has formally approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Indian government to step in over the ban imposed on Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster spy thriller Dhurandhar across several Middle Eastern countries. Despite its massive success in India, the film has not been released in markets such as the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.