From timelines to protocol lapses, Kolkata police build case against ED after I-PAC raid

The police probe is centred on the ED’s January 8 operations at the I-PAC office in Salt Lake’s Sector V and the Loudon Street residence of its chief, Pratik Jain. (File Photo)

The West Bengal Police have intensified their investigation into the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids carried out at premises linked to the election management company I-PAC last week, with teams now working to identify and potentially summon the officials involved in the search operations.

With First Information Reports (FIRs) registered over the ED search operations under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act at the Shakespeare Sarani and Bidhannagar police stations, the Kolkata police have adopted a methodical approach to counter the central agency, focusing on procedural lapses and criminal charges, said sources.

The police are currently reviewing CCTV footage and DVRs seized from the raid locations to identify the ED officials and CRPF personnel present during the operation. On Tuesday, the Bidhannagar police recorded statements from I-PAC staff and building security guards. Notices have also been sent to residents in the vicinity of Loudon Street to establish a timeline of the ED’s arrival and conduct, said Kolkata police sources.

A senior officer confirmed they were verifying if the ED team, led by Assistant Director Prashant Chandila, followed protocol by producing valid search warrants and IDs before the local administration. The police are also investigating why the ED officials allegedly waited for hours after arriving at the scene to inform the local police via email.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma said the probe is being conducted “strictly as per the law,” though he declined further comment, citing the sub judice nature of the case on the sidelines of a recent press conference.

Meanwhile, the confrontation between the state and the central agency is also playing out before the judiciary, with the ED approaching the Calcutta High Court to seek the restoration of documents and electronic devices it claims were “forcibly removed” by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her aides during the search operations. The agency has further alleged that Banerjee personally entered the search premises and took away “key evidence,” including hard disks and physical files.

The court will hear the petitions filed by the ED and the TMC on Wednesday.