ED raids residences of TMC minister Jyotipriyo Mallick, others over 'ration scam'

Kolkata: Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials began an early Thursday morning search at the residences of West Bengal minister Jyotipriyo Mallick in connection with an ongoing probe into the alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam.

The ED sleuths raided two flats belonging to Mallick, the state’s forest minister, at Kolkata's Salt Lake area, supported by a team of central forces, an officer said.

The ruling Trinamool Congress termed the raids as "nothing but political vendetta" amid festivities in the state.

Search operations were also underway at eight other flats including the residences of Mallick's former personal assistant, while he was the food minister, he said.

"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 arrested one person who allegedly has close links to the TMC as well as Mallick, he said.

Mallick is being questioned about his connection with the arrested person, the officer said, adding, the minister's bank accounts are also being scrutinised.

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.

Officials of central probe agencies recently 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.