ED, I-PAC move Calcutta HC over searches on firm’s office, Pratik Jain’s residence

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and political consultancy firm I-PAC on Thursday, January 8, 2026, transferred the Kolkata High Court to the central agency’s searches at the office and residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain.

While the ED moved the court for alleged interference with the investigation, I-PAC challenged the legality of the searches.

Official sources said the searches were part of a money laundering investigation into the alleged coal theft of multi-crore rupees.

Judge Suvra Ghosh, to whom the issues have been raised before, is expected to hear them on Friday, January 9.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dramatically arrived at Jain’s residence in South Kolkata and office in Salt Lake during the ongoing ED raid, claiming that the central agency was trying to seize TMC’s internal documents, hard drives and sensitive data linked to its election strategy.

Apart from being TMC’s political advisor, I-PAC also looks after the party’s IT and media unit.

The ED sought the high court’s intervention in the matter to ensure that the investigation is allowed to be conducted without any hindrance.

In a statement, ED claimed that the CM entered Mr. Jain’s house and took away important evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices.

The central agency alleged that Banerjee also went to the I-PAC office, where the CM, his aides and the police forcibly removed documents and electronic evidence.