I-PAC raid: ED seeks Calcutta HC nod to file petition over obstruction

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday sought permission from the Calcutta High Court to file a petition alleging interference in its investigation while it was conducting raids at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its director Pratik Jain.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dramatically turned up at the residence of Jain in south Kolkata and its office in Salt Lake amid an ongoing ED raid, alleging that the central agency was attempting to seize the TMC's internal documents, hard disks and sensitive data linked to its election strategy.

Apart from political consultancy for the TMC, I-PAC also looks after the IT and media cell of the party.

The ED's lawyer drew the attention of the court of Justice Suvra Ghosh seeking permission to file the petition alleging interference in its investigation.

The agency sought the HC's intervention into the matter so as to ensure that it was allowed to conduct the probe without hindrance.

The ED has alleged that the CM entered Jain's residence and took away key evidence including physical documents, electronic devices.

The agency further claimed that the chief minister, along with her aides and police personnel, also went to the I-PAC office, from where documents and electronic evidence were forcibly removed.

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