Kolkata: ED raids at TMC minister Jyotipriya Mallick’s residence in ration ‘scam’ probe

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Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials carried out early morning searches at the residences of West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallick on Thursday in connection with an ongoing investigation into an alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam.

The ED conducted raids on two flats owned by Mallick, the state’s forest minister, in Kolkata’s Salt Lake area, with support from a team of central forces.

The ruling Trinamool Congress labelled these raids as “political vendetta” amidst ongoing festivities in the state.

Simultaneously, search operations were also in progress at eight other flats, including the residences of Mallick’s former personal assistant during his tenure as the food minister.

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“There are eight officers conducting the exercise at Mallick’s residences. We are also conducting searches at his former personal assistant’s residence in Dum Dum, and at a few other places,” the ED officer told PTI.

The central probe agency had previously arrested an individual with close ties to the TMC and Mallick. Mallick is now being questioned about his connection with the arrested person, and his bank accounts are under scrutiny.

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TMC leader and state minister Shashi Panja criticised the raids at Mallick’s residences, asserting that “this is an attack on the culture of Bengal at the time of ‘Bijoya Dasami’. This is nothing but vendetta politics. We have seen there were raids at our leaders’ places before Durga Puja when we were demonstrating, demanding release of (MGNREGA) funds”.

“We are not surprised at such search operations as they (central agencies) have identified certain targets… And this will continue,” Panja alleged

Meanwhile, BJP leader Rahul Sinha claimed that the TMC is “deeply mired in corruption”, with several of its leaders facing allegations of corruption.

“Whenever the ED or CBI conducts raids at TMC leaders’ residences, they cry foul and describe the exercise as being politically motivated. The reality is… nearly every TMC leader is facing corruption allegations,” Sinha said.

In recent times, officials from central probe agencies also conducted searches at various locations in the state, including at the residence of Food and Supplies Minister Rathin Ghosh and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim.

(With PTI inputs)