I-PAC raids: ED prays for adjournment, TMC seeks protection of data before Calcutta High Court

The ED on Wednesday (January 14, 2025) told the Calcutta High Court that petitions filed by it and the TMC in connection with last week’s searches at the residence and office of political consultancy firm director Pratik Jain be adjourned as the agency has moved the Supreme Court on the issue.

Trinamool Congress’ counsel Menaka Guruswamy submitted that the party was only seeking protection of its data.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s lawyer Kalyan Banerjee objected to the Enforcement Directorate’s plea for adjournment. The CM has been made a party by the central probe agency in its petition before the High Court.

Representing the ED, additional solicitor general S.V. Raju stated before the Bench of Justice Suvra Ghosh that the agency seeks adjournment of the matters at the high court as it has filed a petition on the same issue before the Supreme Court.

He said that when a matter is pending before the apex court, a High Court should not hear it.