The SIT suspects that the plan may have been routed through intermediaries before receiving approval.
Photo: Representative/ANI
The blueprint of the underconstruction warehouse at Taratala which collapsed last week has finally be recovered, a vital evidence that could determine whether the building had been constructed in accordance with approved norms and regulations.
According to sources at the Kolkata police headquarters, the blueprint was recovered from a middleman who was arrested along with the prime accused in connection with the case.
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A team of experts from the police department is now examining the documents to verify their authenticity and determine whether the plan accurately reflected the structure that was eventually built.
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Police officials believe the recovered blueprint could provide critical insights into whether there were irregularities in the approval process or deviations during construction.
“The dispute arose over the signing of this blueprint. Experts from the Detective Department will now provide their opinion on whether the blueprint was foolproof,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Kunal Agarwal, said.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the incident has also widened its investigation and is examining the process through which land for the warehouse had allegedly been acquired from the Kolkata Port Trust.
Investigators are also focusing on the role of individuals allegedly linked to the approval process.
According to sources from the Kolkata Police headquarters, Kalicharan Banerjee, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim and an accused in the case, is allegedly withholding key information during interrogation, including details related to the recovered blueprint.
Police sources said the use of middlemen in obtaining building plan approvals within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation was not unprecedented and investigators are examining whether a similar network operated in the present case.
The SIT suspects that the plan may have been routed through intermediaries before receiving approval and is attempting to establish whether any financial transactions were involved in facilitating illegal clearances.
Kalicharan Banerjee was earlier arrested in connection with allegations regarding the approval of a flawed building plan linked to the Taratala tragedy.
Investigators are now attempting to uncover the larger network allegedly involved in approving defective or irregular plans.
Officials said police are also seeking answers regarding who was involved in the approval process, whether monitoring mechanisms existed after permissions were granted, and whether similar plans had been approved through illegal means.
During searches at Banerjee’s residence, investigators seized two mobile phones along with several documents considered important to the investigation.
However, police sources alleged that he has not been cooperating fully during questioning and has avoided answering several key questions, including whether he had acted on instructions from others. The SIT is currently examining the seized documents.
Investigators have also sought official records related to the Taratala warehouse from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, although those documents had not reached the probe team till Tuesday, sources said.
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