Kolkata Police have launched a detailed investigation into the Enforcement Directorate's searches at the residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain and the firm's office, focusing on allegations of unauthorised entry and theft of sensitive documents. A senior police officer confirmed that statements are being recorded from Jain's neighbours on Loudon Street to verify the sequence of events during the Thursday morning operation.
Investigators are examining claims that ED officials bypassed standard entry protocols by allegedly pushing past security guards at the housing complex. The names of the raiding officials do not appear in the security register, raising serious questions about procedural compliance. Reports also indicate that security personnel had their mobile phones forcibly taken away during the raid.
Notices have been issued to multiple residents of the Loudon Street building, requiring them to appear for questioning. Police emphasised that the neighbours' accounts are vital to reconstructing what transpired that morning and determining the legitimacy of the ED's actions inside the premises.
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The raids prompted an immediate visit by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who accused the central agency of illegally seizing important election-related organisational documents—both physical and electronic—stored at Jain's residence and I-PAC's Sector V office. Following her allegations, formal complaints were lodged against the ED at Shakespeare Sarani and Bidhannagar Electronic Complex police stations.
The Kolkata Police have intensified their probe into the matter, treating the incident as a potential case of procedural violation and unauthorised conduct during the searches. The developments have escalated political tensions, with the Trinamool Congress maintaining that the operation targeted sensitive party materials linked to electoral strategies.
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