Breaking: Calcutta High Court to Hear ED–I-PAC Raid Case Today Amid Political Tension in Bengal

The Calcutta High Court is set to hear the high-profile case related to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raid on political consultancy firm I-PAC today, January 14, amid escalating political tensions in West Bengal ahead of elections. The hearing is scheduled for 2:30 pm and will consider petitions filed by both the ED and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The controversy stems from an ED raid conducted on January 8 at the I-PAC office and the residence of its co-founder Pratik Jain, in connection with an alleged coal smuggling-linked money laundering case. During the raid, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached the spot, prompting the ED to accuse her of obstructing official proceedings and forcibly entering premises where the search was underway. The agency alleged that documents were removed and its officers were hindered from performing their duties. Following the incident, the ED approached the Calcutta High Court seeking intervention. An initial hearing scheduled for January 9 had to be deferred due to chaos in the courtroom, leading the court to postpone the matter to today. On the other hand, the TMC and I-PAC have termed the ED’s action politically motivated, alleging misuse of central agencies to target opposition-linked offices. With both sides leveling serious allegations, today’s hearing is expected to be crucial in determining the legal and political trajectory of the case.

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