CBI raids Bengal minister Moloy Ghatak's residences

Asansol/Kolkata (WB): The CBI on Wednesday morning raided several residences of West Bengal minister Moloy Ghatak in connection with its probe into a coal smuggling scam, an officer said.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths conducted raids at three houses of Ghatak in Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman district and one in Lake Gardens area of Kolkata.

The agency, aided by a huge contingent of central paramilitary personnel, conducted searches in these properties in connection with the scam. Women officers were also part of the team.

"As his name surfaced in the coal smuggling scam, we need to find out what was his role in it. We have evidence of Ghatak's involvement in the scam," the CBI officer told PTI.

Ghatak was not present in any of his residences when the raids took place.

The CBI sleuths took away mobile phones from the state law minister's family members and made them sit in one room in his Asansol houses, he said.

The entire areas around Ghatak's residences were surrounded by central forces when the raids took place.

The agency also conducted searches at four different places in Kolkata in connection with the scam. Incidentally, Ghatak, the Asansol Uttar MLA, has appeared once before Enforcement Directorate officers at its Delhi office for questioning in connection with the coal pilferage case.

He, however, has skipped several other summonses of the ED in connection with the scam.