Kolkata, Jan 8 (NationPress) Pratik Jain, the co-founder of the vote strategy organization Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), submitted a counter-petition this Thursday afternoon to a single-judge Bench at the Calcutta High Court. This petition challenges the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following their raid and search actions that day at his residence located on Loudon Street in central Kolkata, as well as at the I-PAC office situated on the northern outskirts of the city.

The petition has been accepted by Justice Suvra Ghosh, who presides over the single-judge Bench.

Earlier that same day, the ED had approached the same Bench, making allegations against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for purportedly abusing her official position by allegedly obstructing the duties of central agency officials during their raid and search operations at both locations.

Given that both petitions—one from the ED and the other from Jain—pertain to the same issue and have been accepted by the same Bench, they will be heard together on Friday.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already claimed that the ED unlawfully seized documents belonging to the Trinamool Congress under the guise of conducting search operations at both sites.

The ED, in turn, has refuted the Chief Minister's allegations, asserting that the raid and search activities are linked to an alleged coal smuggling operation led by Anup Majee, and maintained that these actions are unrelated to I-PAC's affiliations with any political party.

As both the ED and Jain approach the same Bench of the Calcutta High Court, all attention is now directed towards the upcoming hearing.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has announced that Chief Minister Banerjee intends to lead a protest against the ED actions. The rally will commence at 2 p.m. from Jadavpur in South Kolkata and conclude at Hazra Crossing, also in South Kolkata.