Kolkata: Two high-profile raids by central agencies, Kolkata Police teams taking guard outside and the chief minister arriving on the spot — strikingly similar scenes played out at two nearby addresses on Loudon Street, seven years apart.
Residents of the posh neighbourhood on Thursday woke up to Enforcement Directorate officers arriving at 7, Loudon Street around 6.30 am to search the third-floor residence of Pratik Jain, one of the three directors of I-PAC. The building is sandwiched between the CP's residence on one side and the Shakespeare Sarani Police Station on the other. The last time residents witnessed such a scene was on Feb 3, 2019, when CBI officers had arrived nearby, at the residence of then ADG, CID and now DGP, Rajeev Kumar.
As central force personnel took their positions at the parking lot of 7, Loudon Street, Kolkata Police cops swarmed the street outside. It was like a tit for tat: Any additional central force deployment saw KP increasing its presence.
By noon, a sizeable crowd, among them residents and office-goers, crowded at the gates for "updates". The guards at the building stopped shoppers from entering the apparel stores on the ground floor, citing "administrative instructions". Cars slowed down, curious about the crowd, reporters, photographers and cops jostling for space. Soon after, DC (south) Priyobrata Roy arrived, signalling "some development", but it was CP Manoj Verma's arrival that hinted at the "possibility of a stand-off". By this time, traffic was shut on Loudon Street.
Even as the ED search continued at Jain's residence, chief minister Mamata Banerjee reached. Stepping out of her car, Banerjee asked, "Where is the house?" Shown the way, she marched inside Jain's house and emerged within minutes, holding a green file and a laptop. "They were seizing all my party's documents. I brought them back. That despicable home minister, Amit Shah. He can't control the country. He is getting my party's documents seized," she told reporters waiting outside. She announced she would head to I-PAC office in Salt Lake Sector V, and left.
Traffic slowly resumed on Loudon Street . When ED officers came down to the parking lot to check a car, some officers sought cop help to ensure the videography was not disrupted. The team left around 2.45 pm after over eight hours. Jain, with his wife and child, too, left, headed for the I-PAC office. A KP team continued to keep vigil outside.
People in the area had to tweak their daily plans even as business at shops and boutiques was hit. While vehicles entering the building had to answer a lot of questions before being allowed in, leaving was easier. "My employer had to reschedule his meeting in Howrah as security was tightened," said a driver.