The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, 14th January, disposed of a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) seeking protection of its confidential political data. This came after the Enforcement Director responded in court that no confidential documents or electronic items had been confiscated during the recent raids conducted in relation to the political consultancy firm I-PAC.
Justice Suvra Ghosh recorded the ED’s submission and observed that since nothing had been seized from the premises, there was no issue left for the court to examine. With this clarification on record, the court closed the TMC’s plea.
ED denies seizing any political data
Appearing on behalf of the ED, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju told the court that the fears raised by the TMC regarding the seizure of sensitive political information were misplaced. He said his agency did not take away anything from the searches conducted at the office of I-PAC or at the residence of its co-founder, Pratik Jain.
However, Raju went a step further and stated that it was actually Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, who had taken away documents and devices from the premises and not ED officials. As per his claims, it is clear from the records that no documents were seized by ED officials.
Court relies on Panchnamas and closes the case
In its order, the High Court noted that the panchnamas drawn up at both locations showed that nothing was seized from either the I-PAC office or the residence of its director. The court said the TMC’s only remaining request was for the protection of confidential political data, and since the ED stated that no such data was taken, the petition no longer survived.
Based on the submissions made by the ED and the Central government, the court concluded that nothing further needed to be addressed and formally disposed of the application.
ED’s CBI probe plea against Mamata adjourned
At the same time, the High Court adjourned the hearing on a separate petition filed by the ED seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The agency has accused Banerjee of interfering with its search operations during the I-PAC raids.
The ED requested the adjournment, informing the court that it had filed a similar plea before the Supreme Court. The agency said it wanted the matter to be heard by the top court first. The plea before the Supreme Court is expected to come up for hearing on Thursday.
The ED has also sought the return of documents and electronic material that it claims were taken away by Banerjee during the searches.
Political storm after Banerjee took away documents
The issue drew national attention last week after Chief Minister Banerjee entered the I-PAC office and the residence of its co-founder while ED officials were carrying out searches. The raids were conducted in connection with a money-laundering probe. Banerjee removed several documents and electronic devices from the premises. She later claimed that the materials contained information related to her political party and its functioning.
I-PAC has been associated with the Trinamool Congress since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which added a political dimension to the case.
ED and TMC trade allegations
According to the ED, the searches were a follow-up to its probes on money laundering dating back to 2020, in which businessman Anup Majee, who is said to be associated with the illegal coal smuggling ring. The agency has alleged that Banerjee’s actions during the raids amounted to interference in a lawful investigation and undermined its powers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
On the other hand, the TMC has accused the ED of using the investigation as a cover to gain access to the party’s campaign plans and political strategy ahead of the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections.
With both sides now approaching the Supreme Court, the legal battle over the I-PAC raids is set to continue at the national level.
