I-PAC raids: Pratik Jain files counter-petition in HC against ED; hearing on Friday

Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) head and Trinamool Congress IT chief Pratik Jain, on Thursday, filed a counter petition in the Calcutta High Court against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the agency’s raid and search operations at his residence and I-PAC office in Kolkata.

The petition has been admitted by the single-judge Bench of Justice Suvra Ghosh, the same bench was approached by the ED earlier today.

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Both the petitions will be heard simultaneously by the single-judge bench on Friday.

Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate raided Jain’s residence and I-PAC office in connection with a coal smuggling case.

While ED sleuths continued their searches, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached Jain’s residence and then the I-PAC office and took away some documents.

ED moves Calcutta HC alleging ‘illegal interference’ after Mamata reaches I-PAC raid site

Mamata said that the ED raids were being conducted at TMC’s IT Chief keeping the Assembly elections in mind. The documents she took away were related to her party and contained details regarding TMC candidates for the Assembly polls. However, the ED accused her of interfering in its investigation and alleged that she forcibly removed key evidence.

The Central probe agency moved the Calcutta High Court, alleging illegal interference during I-PAC raids.

The agency also clarified that the search operation was being carried out based on evidence and that it was not aimed at any political establishment. “No party office has been searched. The search is not linked to any election, it is part of a regular crackdown on money laundering. The search is conducted strictly in accordance with established legal safeguards,” the probe agency said.

It said that the raids were based on a CBI case filed against one Anup Majee and others in 2020 in connection with a coal smuggling syndicate.