Fire in ED Mumbai office: will digital records and court filings protect probe?

A massive fire that engulfed the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Zone-1 office in Mumbai’s Ballard Estate on Sunday has sparked intense speculation about the fate of crucial investigation files linked to high-profile cases.

The blaze, which raged for nearly 12 hours and caused extensive damage to the fourth and mezzanine floors of the heritage Kaiser-i-Hind building, destroyed furniture, computers, and administrative records.

Given the involvement of fugitive businessmen Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi, alongside politicians such as Chhagan Bhujbal and Anil Deshmukh, the incident has ignited a wave of conspiracy theories, questioning whether the fire might have been an attempt to sabotage ongoing probes.

Despite the damage, ED officials have said the investigations will continue without interruption. A key factor underpinning this confidence is that the original investigation records for cases where chargesheets have been filed were already submitted to courts prior to the fire.

Additionally, the ED maintains comprehensive digital backups of case files, which are stored securely and remain unaffected by the blaze. According to ED sources, these digital copies, along with documents held by judicial authorities, can be retrieved to ensure the continuity of legal proceedings.

The fire reportedly started from a short circuit in the mezzanine area, which primarily housed administrative documents rather than core case files.

The fourth floor, where senior officers have their offices, also suffered damage, but the servers and digital storage systems containing critical investigation data were located elsewhere and escaped harm.

ED officers routinely keep scanned copies of important records on their official laptops, and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) adjudicating authorities also retain scanned documents related to attached properties and ongoing cases.

While physical loss of some original documents could diminish their evidentiary value, experts note that the availability of scanned copies will allow the ED to replicate and present necessary evidence in court. Nonetheless, the full impact of the fire on case proceedings will only become clear as hearings progress and courts assess the situation.

The incident has underscored vulnerabilities in the physical infrastructure and record-keeping protocols of agencies handling sensitive investigations. The ED office’s location in an ageing heritage building posed challenges for firefighting efforts and highlighted the need for enhanced digitisation, off-site backups, and improved fire safety measures.

In the midst of swirling conspiracy theories, the ED’s assurance that case files previously submitted to courts and preserved digitally will keep investigations on track aims to maintain public confidence. However, the ultimate test will lie in how courts evaluate the integrity of evidence and the agency’s ability to proceed unhindered despite the fire.