Calcutta High Court Disposes TMC Petition After ED Clarifies No Seizure From I-PAC Office

Court closes matter following Enforcement Directorate’s submission that no materials were confiscated during investigation

Kolkata – The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday disposed of a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) clarified that it had not seized any documents or materials from the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office during its investigation.

The TMC had approached the High Court challenging the alleged seizure of documents by the central agency from the I-PAC office in connection with an ongoing probe. I-PAC, a political consultancy firm founded by poll strategist Prashant Kishor, has worked with several political parties including the TMC.

During the court proceedings, the ED’s legal counsel informed the bench that no seizure had been carried out from the I-PAC premises, contrary to the claims made in the petition. The agency submitted that while investigations were ongoing, no materials had been confiscated from the office in question.

Following the ED’s categorical statement, the TMC’s legal team did not press the matter further, leading the court to dispose of the petition. The bench noted the ED’s submission on record before closing the case.

The development brings temporary relief in what has been a contentious relationship between the West Bengal ruling party and the central investigative agency. The ED has been conducting multiple investigations in the state, including probes into alleged financial irregularities in various cases.

The TMC had expressed concerns about what it termed as “overreach” by central agencies, while the ED has maintained that its investigations are being conducted in accordance with the law and based on evidence.

Legal experts suggest that the disposal of the petition effectively means the court found no grounds to proceed given the ED’s clarification. However, this does not preclude any future legal challenges should circumstances change.

Neither the TMC nor I-PAC representatives were immediately available for comment following the court’s decision.