Files burnt in blaze at Mumbai ED office but digital records will help continue probe, says Enforcement Directorate

The ED statement said that prima-facie reason for fire appears to be short-circuit at power boxes on the fourth floor. File Pic/Shadab Khan

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said that while certain documents and furniture have been burnt in the ED Mumbai office fire "no impediment" in probes or trial was expected as files are also stored digitally, the federal agency said in a statement.

A massive fire had broke out around 2:25 am on Sunday at the mezzanine floor (4th floor) of the Mumbai Zonal Office-I located at Kaiser-I-Hind building in Ballard Estate area of south Mumbai.

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The ED statement said that prima-facie reason for fire appears to be short-circuit at power boxes on the fourth floor.

It said that though actual damage assessment is being carried out, preliminary assessment shows that certain papers/documents and furniture etc. have been burnt in the fire incident, the agency said.

"It may be mentioned here that evidentiary documents pertaining to investigation and relied upon documents (RUDs) are invariably stored in the form of digital records as well as stored in internal centralised record keeping system. With regard to the cases where prosecution complaints have been filed, the original records are available with concerned courts," the statement said, according to the PTI.

Therefore, no impediment in conducting investigation or trial is expected, as per the agency that probes cases under the anti-money laundering law, foreign exchange violation and fugitive economic offenders Act.

The ED said offices on the ground and first floor of Kaiser-I-Hind building remain "functional" and the part of office at fourth floor affected by fire has been shifted and is now operational from the old regional office situated at Janambhoomi Chambers, as per the PTI.

The agency said the fire was first noticed by the staff and security guards stationed at the office who informed night duty state police personnel deployed at the building.

The police informed fire brigade around 2:30 am which started fire fighting operation around 3:30 am with more than 50 personnel and multiple fire tenders.

The ED said it was in the process of establishing "standalone" office space for itself in Mumbai as the Maharashtra government, in March, has allocated land at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai to the agency.

The procedural requirements are being expedited for making independent offices for the ED at the earliest, it said.

(with PTI inputs)