Neighbours to depose as Kolkata Police investigates ED searches at I-PAC chief’s residence

Kolkata, Jan 12 (PTI) Kolkata Police is currently verifying the identities of the ED officials who conducted searches at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its chief Pratik Jain, amidst allegations of forced entry and theft of documents, a senior officer said on Monday.

According to the officer, police have now decided to record the statements of Jain's neighbours to ascertain whether they witnessed any part of the searches or the manner in which the ED officials entered the building loctaed on Loudon Street.

Notices have already been served to several residents, directing them to appear for questioning, he added.

"We want to know what the residents and neighbours saw that morning. Their statements are crucial to establishing the sequence of events," he said.

"The names of ED officials do not appear in the housing complex's security register. Investigators have found indications that the central agency officials allegedly entered the premises by pushing past security guards without following standard entry procedures," a senior Kolkata Police officer said.

It has also been claimed that the mobile phones of security personnel were forcibly taken away during the operation, he added.

"The security register does not carry any entry of ED officials for that morning. There are allegations that entry was made without permission and without signatures," the police officer claimed.

The searches took place on Thursday morning, when ED officials conducted a search at Pratik Jain's residence on Loudon Street. Soon after the news broke, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the spot.

The Trinamool Congress supremo alleged that sensitive party-related election documents, both physical and electronic, were kept at Jain's residence and at I-PAC's Sector V office, and that these were stolen during the raid.

"These were important organisational documents related to elections. They have been taken away illegally," Banerjee alleged, following which complaints were lodged against the ED at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and Bidhannagar Electronic Complex Police Station.

The Kolkata Police has since intensified their investigation into the matter.

As part of the probe, police on Saturday seized CCTV camera footage and the DVR system from the housing complex. The security register was also confiscated. Statements of domestic help at Jain's residence as well as from on-duty security personnel were recorded.

Asked whether the situation was serious enough for DC (South) Priyabrata Ray to personally visit the spot, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma declined to comment.

"I won’t be able to say much on this matter. We have registered two cases, and investigations are underway in both. Beyond this, it is not possible to comment at the moment. Perhaps on some other day, we may speak on the issue," Verma told reporters at the Kolkata Police Headquarters. PTI SCH MNB