A recent fire at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Mumbai has triggered a political storm, with opposition parties questioning the circumstances surrounding the incident. While suspicions of foul play have surfaced, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has firmly denied any wrongdoing and assured the public that all critical documents remain intact.
The fire led to widespread concern among political leaders and citizens alike. Opposition parties, including the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) and Congress, have raised doubts about whether the fire was accidental or deliberately set.
Senior NCP leader Jitendra Awhad voiced serious concerns, questioning the speed of the fire response and the security of crucial case files. “In a place with wide roads and no parking issues, how long did it take for fire engines to arrive? With all the AI and technology available today, if these files weren’t backed up, that’s deeply shocking,” he said. He demanded accountability from the municipal authorities, especially regarding whether the fire was extinguished on time.
MP Supriya Sule also raised concerns, joining others in demanding clarity on how the fire started and if it was preventable. Congress leaders added to the skepticism, with Harshvardhan Sakpal alleging political foul play. “It’s all a cover-up. They’ve burned down their own office to claim that the evidence is gone. This is a textbook example of political conspiracy,” Sakpal claimed.
Comparing the incident to a previous fire at the Mantralaya, Awhad remarked that those in power today, who once raised suspicions in similar past incidents, should now face the same scrutiny. “Some of those once trapped by the ED are now part of the ruling alliance – there is enough room for doubt,” he added.
Responding to the political allegations, CM Devendra Fadnavis moved to allay fears. “I have spoken with ED officials in Mumbai. They have confirmed that every document is safe. In fact, mirror imaging and backup systems are in place. Not a single document has been damaged,” Fadnavis assured during a media interaction.
The ED office is housed in the Kaiser Hind Building, located in Ballard Estate, Fort, engulfed in the massive fire on Sunday, damaging several papers and computer systems. The blaze that erupted in the wee hours at 2.30am, escalated to Level III due to the wooden interiors and excessive paper files stored on the fourth and the attic floor of the grand old building, the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) said.
