Calcutta, Jan. 29: A Salt Lake edifice with a warren of matchbox-like windows is giving sleepless nights to some of the most powerful people in Bengal.

Known as 'the CBI office', the building is expected to be back in the limelight on Friday if Mukul Roy, once Mamata Banerjee's right hand and till now the all-India general secretary of the Trinamul Congress, turns up to be questioned on the Saradha scandal.

Some of those who have been questioned earlier and lucky enough to return home the same evening have shared with The Telegraph what they said were 'thoughts' that kept them occupied the day before the appointment at the CBI office in the CGO complex in Salt Lake's D Block.

The following are some of the questions and the answers:

Q: Can I take my lawyer with me?

A: No. A minister tried but the lawyer was stopped at the entrance to the CBI office.

Q: I am sure you (the media) will be there in full force. Can I take a bodyguard to protect myself from people like you?

A: Yes, journalists and camera persons will be there right at the gates of the CGO Complex. You may expect a flood of questions, some of them somewhat irritating.

Once, when an MP came out after several hours of grilling, one conscientious reporter asked: 'Sir, did they call you in connection with the Saradha scam?'

The MP deadpanned: 'No, I came for my father's wedding.'

Do not expect the CBI to protect you from the news hounds. What happens outside the CBI office does not fall within its purview.

Nothing prevents you from taking a bodyguard or bouncer along. But they would be stopped at the entrance.

Q: Once I wade past the media, will someone receive me at the reception?

A: At the entrance, police constables will ask for your identification. You have to produce the summons along with proof of identity. The constables will then inform CBI officials. An officer will then turn up and take you to the reception on the ground floor.

Q: And then?

A: Relax. You will be asked to enter your name in a logbook with date, time and the name of the officer you will be meeting.

You will probably be asked to sit there for some time. Then you can be taken to the investigating officer's cubicle, also on the ground floor. The investigation officer or IO will ask you some questions.

There are instances of people being allowed to leave the CBI office after meeting the IO.

But in most cases related to Saradha, those summoned had been led to an interrogation room on the ground floor. If required, you may be escorted from here to the second-floor office of the special director for another round of interrogation.

Q: Will I be given a chair?

A: Yes, of course. Usually, moulded PVC chairs with a soft padding are provided.

Q: Is the interrogation room air-conditioned?

A: Yes. The interrogation room on the ground floor measures 15x15 feet. The other room on the second floor is also air-conditioned.

Q: Can I keep my cellphone with me?

A: No. You have to deposit your phone. You could be made to wait for hours in between sessions of interrogation but you won't be able to make or take calls.

Q: What about bathroom breaks?

A: There's a washroom adjacent to the interrogation room. Whenever you want to, you can take a bathroom break. The washroom is meant for senior officers and it is usually clean.

Q: What about food?

A: No question of taking food with you. Lunch - mostly sandwiches, will be served. Tea also will be served, at times with biscuits.

Q: How many officers will question me?

A: Number not fixed. Sometimes, the IO alone will question you. But there have been instances where a senior CBI officer questioned a person in the interrogation room on the ground floor and then took him to the second floor where a team of three to four officers quizzed him.

Q: Will they question me in Bengali, Hindi or English?

A: Depends on what you are comfortable with. If it is Bengali, the CBI will ensure that at least one officer fluent in the language will be included in the team. By the way, don't make any snide remarks on the mistaken belief that officers from outside Bengal won't be able to understand. Most senior officers have by now picked up a working knowledge of Bengali.

Q: Will the interrogators be rude? Will they shout me down or threaten me?

A: Usually, the tone is chatty and very informal. The conversation drifts from one topic to another with the officers ensuring that the person is made as comfortable as possible but without forgetting why he has been called for questioning.

Q: In films, I have seen interrogators hurling chairs and banging their fists on tables? Do such things happen here?

A: There is nothing filmy about the interrogation here. The questions posed are precise and drawn up after long homework. Sometimes, the officers may indulge in light banter to ease the tension.

Q: What about third degree? Will they slap me around if I stonewall?

A: No. Files are piled up all over the place - not to throw at you but to confront you with facts and figures in case you tried to mislead the officers.

Q: Are my answers recorded?

A: Your replies will be usually written down by an officer. At times, they are recorded on video.

Q: Now, the hard part. If they arrest me, how will they break the news to me?

A: At the end of the interrogation, you are offered tea. Then you are told about the arrest. 'Sorry, we have to take you into our custody' is the usual line. That does not mean that your heart should skip a beat every time you are served tea. But keep fingers crossed if the cuppa comes after dusk.

Q: Does the attitude change after the arrest?

A: The officers will stand up and leave the room one by one. The investigating officer handles documents to take care of the formalities.

Q: Will I be allowed to call home?

A: If an arrest is executed, a call is usually made from the CBI landline to the family of the arrested person. The family is then told to speak to the accused briefly, basically to enquire about his health.

Q: Where will I be taken to after the arrest? Will I be lodged with other criminals?

A: Usually to a lock-up in one of the police stations around the CGO complex. You will be the sole inmate in the particular cell or room. A CCTV will be put in place and a CBI guard will be posted there throughout the night.

Q: Do I have to wear some kind of uniform in custody?

A: No. Immediately after the arrest, family members are allowed to come in with a set of clothes you can wear while you are in custody.

Remember, you are being summoned not as an accused but as a responsible citizen who is expected to help combat crime. Your best bet lies in cooperating with, not misleading, the investigators.

As you head to the CBI office, keep the frontline soldier's motto in mind: hope for the best and plan for the worst.