Police seek to identify ED officials who searched I-PAC chief's home, office

Kolkata, Jan 11 (PTI) The police began a process to identify the ED officials who searched the residence and office of Pratik Jain, director of political consultancy firm I-PAC, following complaints made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding “theft of documents” from those places, an officer said on Sunday.

Steps are being taken to formally seek details from the ED about the officers who carried out the operation at Jain's residence on Thursday, he said.

Banerjee, as the TMC chairperson, on Friday lodged two police complaints against the ED in connection with the central probe agency’s raids at the office of I-PAC, and the residence of Jain here. Apart from providing political consultancy to the TMC, the I-PAC also manages the party’s IT and media operations.

She unexpectedly visited the office of the firm and the residence of Jain during the ED raid.

"Our officers have found that the search conducted on Thursday was led by an ED assistant director, accompanied by others of assistant officer rank. We are preparing to send an email to the ED seeking the identities of those officers," the officer told PTI.

In addition, police are also attempting to ascertain the identities of six Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were deployed to provide security to the ED team during the operation on January 8, he added.

An email will be sent to the CRPF's Eastern Sector office to obtain their details, the officer said.

Incidentally, as part of the probe, Kolkata Police officials on Saturday visited Jain's residence and seized CCTV footage and the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) from the premises.

Statements of household staff and security personnel were also recorded, and the building's security register was seized.

Investigators were also examining whether the ED officials made entries in the security register on the day of the search, the officer said.

Sources in the Kolkata Police said that the investigators were likely also question Jain, his wife, and his mother if required.

"The housing complex's facility manager has already been summoned," he said.

The ED officials entered Jain's residence at 6.20 am on Thursday and left at 2.50 pm.

"Our officers reached the spot later, between 11.15 am and 11.20 am. Our investigators are analysing CCTV footage as well as recordings of body-cameras worn by some police personnel who were present at the location that day," the officer said. PTI SCH NN