Calcutta HC disposes of TMC's plea as ED says "nothing seized" from I-PAC premises

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 14 (ANI): The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday disposed of Trinamool Congress' (TMC) plea in connection with the recent raids on the Indian Political Action Committee's (I-PAC) premises and the residence of its Director, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata, after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said that "nothing was seized" from the premises.
The High Court began the hearing on the plea filed by ED amid high-voltage political drama in West Bengal, as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached the offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC while the ED was carrying out search operations in connection with the 2020 coal smuggling case.
The TMC said, "Our petition is limited to the point that our personal political data be protected. It is inappropriate to bully a political party when it has filed a petition, believing that its data could be taken from its political consultant of six years."
The ED stated that "nothing was seized" and demanded that the TMC's plea be disposed of. "Nothing has been seized. Whatever was taken was taken away by Mamata Banerjee," ED said.
The ED also told the court that the search operation had "nothing to do with Trinamool Congress."
ED told the High Court, "The raid had nothing to do with the Trinamool Congress, and the person who was raided by the ED has not come before you"
"The search was conducted somewhere else, but another party is coming and saying that my data was with them. This is not how it works," the probe agency added.
The ED, in its petition, has accused the West Bengal Police, allegedly acting in collusion with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, of obstructing its officials and failing to discharge their public duty in "flagrant and blatant disregard to the law" during an ongoing search operation in Kolkata carried out on January 8.
The agency alleged that the situation escalated after the Chief Minister on Thursday entered the residential premises of Prateek Jain, director of political consultancy firm I-PAC, during an ED search and took away what the agency described as "key evidence", including physical documents and electronic devices.
During the hearing, the bench asked the ED to file an affidavit after ASG SV Raju, appearing for the probe agency, requested to file an affidavit on maintainability.
On January 9, the Calcutta High Court adjourned the hearing in the matter, citing an unconducive atmosphere in the courtroom, and posted the case for January 14. The courtroom witnessed heavy congestion with the presence of a large number of lawyers. (ANI)