Calcutta High Court To Hear ED–I-PAC Petitions After January 8 Raids

Kolkata is bracing for a key hearing at the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday.

Justice Suvra Ghosh’s single-judge bench will consider three petitions and counter-petitions arising from last week’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on I-PAC’s Salt Lake office and Pratik Jain’s residence on Loudon Street.

The court initially listed the matters for hearing on January 9, a day after the ED conducted its operations.

Overcrowding in the courtroom prevented the proceedings from taking place, prompting Justice Ghosh to reschedule the hearing for Wednesday.

In view of the January 9 commotion, Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul issued a notification restricting entry to the courtroom during the hearing.

The court will allow only the petitioners, respondents, and their legal representatives inside. This measure ensures a controlled environment.

Uncertainty remains over whether Justice Ghosh will ultimately hear the matter. The ED has also filed a related petition that is pending before the Supreme Court.

The ED has filed a petition accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of misusing her constitutional position to obstruct central agency officials during the January 8 raids.

The agency has requested the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the Chief Minister’s involvement. Additionally, it has asked the CBI to investigate the actions of senior police officials who accompanied her during the raids.

The ED claims that the officials left after collecting certain paper files and electronic documents. It also seeks further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the raids.

Two counter-petitions have also emerged. Pratik Jain submitted one. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress filed another, claiming that the ED carried out the actions for political motives.

The Trinamool alleges that the ED aimed to seize documents related to the party’s voter-strategy operations for the 2026 Assembly elections.

The party claims that the ED intended to potentially hand these documents over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

As the case progresses, the Calcutta High Court is expected to clarify the legal and procedural issues in the high-profile ED-I-PAC controversy. This clarification is likely to take place during Wednesday’s hearing.

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