Kolkata Police have initiated a formal investigation to identify officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) who are allegedly involved in the theft of documents from properties linked to I-PAC. The action follows two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) lodged by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Police Launch Twin Probes, Secure Crucial Evidence
The Kolkata Police and Bidhannagar Police are working in coordination to collect and analyze evidence from two key locations. The alleged incidents occurred at the Loudon Street residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain and the consultancy firm's office in Salt Lake's Sector V. On Saturday morning, officers from Shakespeare Sarani police station visited Jain's residence to collect CCTV footage and the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). Simultaneously, the DVR from the Salt Lake office building was also seized and sent to a forensic laboratory for detailed analysis.
Investigators are focusing on video evidence to establish the identities of individuals involved, especially those present during a reported altercation with Deputy Commissioner (South) Priyabrata Roy. The ED's own insistence in court to freeze the CCTV footage underscores its critical importance for both sides of the investigation. Police sources confirmed that the DVR is now secured and that the building's facility manager has been asked to provide a list of employees on duty on January 8.
Statements to be Recorded, Notices to be Issued
The police are compiling a list of individuals whose statements will be officially recorded. This includes Pratik Jain, his family members, security guards, housekeepers, and maintenance staff from the Loudon Street address. In Salt Lake, Bidhannagar City Police detectives plan to speak with I-PAC employees who were present at the office during the ED search.
A police source stated that once the central agency personnel are identified from the footage, legal notices will be sent to them, asking for their statements. However, the source emphasized that every step would be taken strictly in accordance with the law and based on investigative requirements.
Background: ED Raids and High-Profile Confrontation
The chain of events began in the early hours of Thursday when two ED teams arrived at the Loudon Street residence and the Salt Lake office. The searches were part of an investigation into an illegal coal smuggling case. Local police, upon receiving information, reached the scenes around 9 am but claimed they were denied entry. Police allege that DC South Priyabrata Roy was manhandled, a claim vehemently denied by the ED.
The situation escalated with the arrival of senior police officials, culminating in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's dramatic personal visit to the Loudon Street site around noon. During the ongoing ED search, the CM retrieved documents, files, and laptops from Pratik Jain's house. The filing of the FIRs by the CM has now set the stage for a complex legal and political tussle between the state police and the central investigative agency.
