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KOLKATA: A day after high drama and tense standoff as CM Mamata Banerjee walked into its office challenging the ongoing ED raid, the 450-odd employees of I-PAC office in Kolkata returned to work on Friday, in 100% attendance. There were some “visible changes”, though, right outside its office on the 11th floor at Godrej Waterside in Sector V, the most crucial one being the added police post on the 11th floor. ID cards were being checked off and on. I-PAC director Pratik Jain was reportedly not in office even though a major meeting took place on Friday evening.
The idea of getting the employees back to work was floated by the CM herself on Thursday, just before leaving I-PAC office, it’s learnt. Mamata inquired with director Jain if the staff would resume working. She was told by the management they were asked to work from home. It was then decided that the staff would be asked to report back to the office from Friday to “restore normal work” as quickly as possible. “There was an apprehension that ED would seal our office premises. We were relieved it did not happen. Most of us worked normally on Friday and even sent out press releases as on any other day,” said one of them. I-PAC Thursday released a statement, detailing its portfolio with multiple parties cutting across multiple ideologies and claimed ED searches “raises serious concerns and sets an unsettling precedent”. “Regardless, we have extended full cooperation and will continue to do so as required engaging with the process in complete accordance and respect for the law,” it said. “Over the years, I-PAC has worked in a professional advisory capacity with multiple parties across ideologies and regions, including BJP, Congress, AAP, TMC, DMK, YSR Congress Party, BRS, JDU, Shiv Sena among others. We do not contest elections or hold political office. Our role is limited to transparent and professional political consulting, uninfluenced by differences in political ideology,” it said. The statement called “Thursday a difficult and unfortunate day” for I-PAC. “Despite what transpired yesterday, we remain fully committed to doing our work unfazed and unperturbed with consistency and accountability and guided by the same purpose that has shaped us from the start,” it concluded.
