Kolkata, Jan 12 Kolkata Police has started the process of making the neighbours of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) director Pratik Jain, witnesses in the investigation against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the latter’s raid and search operations at Jain’s residence at Loudon Street in central Kolkata on January 8.
Sources said on Monday that already, some of the neighbours have been summoned by the investigating team of the city police for questioning on their experiences, while the ED officials, accompanied by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, conducted raid and search operations at Jain’s residence on Thursday morning.
On January 8, ED officials suddenly raided the Loudon Street residence of Pratik Jain, the head of I-PAC in connection with a coal smuggling case. The raid was also carried out at I-PAC's Salt Lake office.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at the scene upon receiving the news. According to the Trinamool Congress supremo's allegations, election-related party documents, candidate list, election strategy and electronic records of the party were "looted" by the ED officers in the name of conducting raids.
Following this, the Chief Minister filed complaints against the ED at the Shakespeare Sarani Police Station and the Bidhannagar Electronic Complex Police Station, alleging theft of documents. Based on these complaints, the police have launched an investigation into the alleged theft of Trinamool Congress election-related information and documents.
It was learnt that the police have summoned residents of that apartment complex for questioning regarding the ED raid. It is reported that notices have been sent to residents of Pratik's apartment on Loudon Street, as well as to his neighbours. It is understood that they have been summoned to provide information about what they heard since the ED raid began and the movements of the officers during the search. The police also want details of the incident from the neighbours to corroborate their findings on that day.
Residents and neighbours of that apartment have been summoned in connection with both, the case filed by Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee and the suo motu case filed by the police.
According to sources, ED officials were unable to collect any significant evidence from Pratik Jain's house and office. However, they have obtained evidence related to the obstruction of their investigation process. They have two CCTV footages; one shows a police officer pushing a CRPF jawan and the other is a video of an altercation at Pratik Jain's house, said sources.
At the same time, the Kolkata Police have collected all the CCTV camera footage and Digital Video Recorders (DVR) from the house. It is also reported that the statements of Pratik Jain's domestic staff and security personnel have been recorded. Furthermore, the house's security register has also been seized.
It is learnt that the police are examining what names the ED officers wrote in the register book on the day of the raid, or if they wrote anything at all. If necessary, the police will also speak to Pratik Jain, his wife and his mother, according to sources.
The police have already summoned the building's facility manager. On the other hand, investigators have learnt that on the day of the raid, Thursday, the ED officers entered Pratik's house at 6:20 am and left at 2:50 pm. However, police officers also arrived at the scene during the investigation.
According to information, police officers arrived at Pratik Jain's residence between 11:15 am and 11:20 am. Police are examining the sequence of events before and after the arrival of the cops using footage obtained from various sources. This includes not only CCTV footage but also footage from police body cameras.
Several police officers who arrived at Pratik Jain's house that day were wearing body cameras. It is reported that multiple moments were captured on these body cameras. Police sources indicate that all this footage is being examined.
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