Pratik Jain files counter-petition against ED over raids
The Statesman | 9 January 2026
Pratik Jain, co-founder of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), on Thursday afternoon, filed a counter petition at a single-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the latter’s raid and search operations earlier in the day at his residence at Loudon Street in central Kolkata as well as at the I-PAC’s office in Salt Lake.
The petition has been admitted by the single-judge Bench of Justice Suvra Ghosh.
The ED has also approached the same Bench, accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of misusing her constitutional position by allegedly creating hindrances to the official duties of central agency officials during raid and search operations.
Since both the petitions, the first by the ED and then by Jain, are related to the same matter, and both are being admitted by the same Bench, both matters will be heard simultaneously by the said Bench on Friday.
Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the ED had stolen documents belonging to her party in the name of search operations at the two premises.
The ED had also countered the allegations by the Chief Minister and claimed that the raid and search operations were in connection with an alleged coal smuggling syndicate led by Anup Majee, and also claimed that these operations were in no way related to I-PAC’s association with any political party.