Kolkata: Speculation is rife as the Calcutta High Court prepares to start hearing petitions moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) regarding raids conducted at the home and office of i-PAC chief Prateek Jain in Kolkata last Thursday.
While the ED has claimed interference by West Bengal chief minister and AITC supremo Mamata Banerjee and officials of the state government during legitimate search and seizure operations, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, at Jain’s home and the i-PAC office, the AITC has said in its petition that the central enforcement agency was attempting to get at political material related to the party’s strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.
The High Court has set restrictions on the number of people who would be allowed into the courtroom after chaos and overcrowding in the courtroom of Justice Suvra Ghosh during the last hearing.
The registrar general of the Calcutta High Court issued a notice stating that only the counsels in the case would be allowed in the courtroom, and the entire proceedings would be live-streamed, as reported by The Indian Express.
“It is hereby notified for information of all concerned that, as per
direction of Honourable the Acting Chief Justice, High Court at Calcutta, this Administrative Notice is issued for smooth functioning of the Court Proceedings while hearing the matters vide WPA No. 602 of 2026 with WPA No. 609 of 2026,” said the notice.
“The entry may be regulated at Court No. 05 while dealing with the Court proceeding of the matters vide WPA No. 602 of 2026 with WPA No. 609 of 2026. Only the Ld. Senior Counsels, their assisting Counsels and the Ld. A.O.R. on behalf of both the parties (i.e. the Petitioner & the Respondent) will be present at the time of hearing,” it said.
“The entire Court proceeding will be on ‘Live Streaming’, and the same will be recorded for future purposes. If anybody (except the Petitioner & the Respondent) wants to participate in the Court proceeding of that particular matter, may join virtually.” It added.
The ED claimed that it was carrying out raids based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into a coal pilferage racket that involved transfer of funds through hawala, when Mamata and the state administration interfered, carrying away vital evidence related to the case.
Mamata, however, said that the documents she took away are related to the party’s strategy.
The ED is doing its best to get the courts to intervene in the matter. After the single bench of Justice Ghosh adjourned the matter, ED approached the acting chief justice, seeking an urgent bench for a hearing, but that appeal was not accepted.
Following this, ED approached the Supreme Court, where the agency filed two petitions, and the TMC moved a caveat. The matter is pending in the Apex court.