Kolkata

Kolkata Police have initiated steps to identify officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) who conducted searches at the residence and office of Pratik Jain, director of political consultancy firm I-PAC, following allegations by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that documents were taken from the premises, a senior police officer said on Sunday.

The police are in the process of formally seeking details from the ED regarding the officers involved in the searches carried out at Jain’s residence on Thursday, the officer said.

On Friday, Banerjee, in her capacity as Trinamool Congress chairperson, filed two police complaints against the ED in connection with the raids at Jain’s home and the I-PAC office in Kolkata. I-PAC provides political consultancy services to the TMC and also handles the party’s information technology and media-related work.

During the ED operation, the chief minister made an unannounced visit to both the consultancy firm’s office and Jain’s residence.

Preliminary findings indicate that the search operation was led by an assistant director of the ED, accompanied by other officials of assistant officer rank. “We are preparing to send an official communication to the ED seeking the identities of all officers who participated in the search,” the police officer told PTI.

The police are also attempting to establish the identities of six Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were deployed to provide security cover to the ED team during the operation on January 8. An email will be sent to the CRPF’s Eastern Sector headquarters to obtain the relevant details, the officer said.

As part of the ongoing probe, Kolkata Police on Saturday visited Jain’s residence and seized closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage along with the digital video recorder (DVR) from the premises. Statements of household staff and security personnel were recorded, and the security register maintained at the building was taken into custody.

Investigators are examining whether the ED officials had made entries in the register on the day of the search, the officer added.

Police sources said that Jain, along with his wife and mother, may be questioned if required in the course of the investigation. The facility manager of the housing complex has already been summoned, they said.

According to police, ED officials entered Jain’s residence at around 6.20 am on Thursday and concluded the search at approximately 2.50 pm. Kolkata Police personnel reached the location later, between 11.15 am and 11.20 am.

ALSO READ: Kashmir: Naranag offers ensemble of spiritualism, history, nature, and life

“Our investigators are currently analysing the CCTV footage and body-camera recordings of police personnel who were present at the site during the operation,” the officer said.