Jessop fire: CID officers, forensic team visit site

A team comprising senior officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) visited the Jessop factory along with a team of forensic experts. 

It may be mentioned that the state government had engaged CID to probe into the incident of repeated fire in the factory. The investigating agency was engaged to probe after the government suspected sabotage behind the incidents of fire. 

The forensic experts have collected samples that include a tin container and some pieces of clothes. The samples were collected from a place close to the spot from where the fire had originated.

Subhankar Bhattacharya, SS (South) of CID, headed the team that visited the factory on Thursday afternoon. After visiting the place, he said that they visited the spot where the fire broke out in the factory and experts from the state forensic science laboratory have collected required samples for the probe.

He said: “We have brought the two persons, who were arrested in this connection and were remanded to our custody, along with us as it was necessary for the investigation.”

The police had arrested Pradip Nandi and Jhantu Karmakar in connection with the incident of fire on Tuesday night. The police had taken both of them to the spot with their faces covered with pieces of clothes. Their faces were opened after taking them inside the factory where they were asked to show that where the fire had originated.

Though the police are yet to completely ascertain the fact, they suspect that the factory was set on fire repeatedly by someone for their personal benefit.

The CID officers have also initiated a probe to find out how it had become possible to take out a huge quantity of machineries from the factory in trucks and to set it on fire repeatedly. Considering that it was not possible while keeping the management in dark, the police initiated a probe to ascertain whether the management is in anyway involved in the incidents. 

Thus, the CID officers interrogated and arrested Jessop CEO Ashok Agarwal. The police have also summoned the Jessop owner Pawan Ruia for interrogation. But he had heaved a sigh of relief for a month as the Calcutta High Court ordered the CID not to arrest him till the any further order is given in this connection.

A CID officer said that they have once again summoned him for questioning and expected that he would turn up in the next week.