On Friday, the Trinamool Congress approached the Calcutta High Court seeking immediate restraint on the Enforcement Directorate from using or circulating documents seized during recent searches at a political consultancy firm linked to the party’s election strategy. The petition raises sharp constitutional concerns, alleging that the seizure of sensitive campaign material threatens the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
The case stemmed from search and seizure operations carried out by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, at the office of a political consultancy firm and the residence of its chief, in connection with an ongoing probe into an alleged coal pilferage scam.
The ruling party contended that the operation went far beyond the scope of the money laundering investigation and resulted in the seizure of internal political material, including campaign strategy documents, research inputs, organisational coordination records and electoral roll-related data. According to the party, these materials have no linkage, direct or indirect, to any scheduled offence or alleged proceeds of crime, and their seizure amounts to an abuse of investigative powers.
In its plea, the party has urged the Court to step in before irreversible harm is caused, asserting that the seizure targets the core of democratic functioning. The petition asserts that the action reflects an attempt to interfere with political processes, warning that unchecked retention and use of the data could distort electoral competition.
Emphasising constitutional safeguards, the party has argued that “the seized articles and electronic data consist of confidential political data/information/documents relating to campaign strategy,” and that their continued custody with the agency invites “grave prejudice, misuse, and dissemination.” The Court has been requested to restrain the ED from accessing, sharing or relying upon the seized material pending adjudication.
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