West Bengal Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallick and assistant
Amit Dey have been under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate as the
agency held search operations at their residences along with other places in ration
distribution scam case on Thursday.
Taking cognisance of rampant irregularities in the Public
Distribution System (PDS) and massive corruption in the distribution of food
grains in the State during the Covid lockdown, the action was taken.
Mallick, the former West Bengal Food Minister, is
alleged of having links to businessman Bakibur Rahman, who was recently
arrested in the case. Subsequently, the probe agency is investigating the
matter.
Besides, the ED raided the residence of Mallick’s
assistant Amit Dey in Nagerbazar.
The ED officials reached Mallick’s residence in BC
block in Kolkata’s Salt Lake early on Thursday.
They also went to the minister’s flats in Nagerbazar –
one in the Bhagwati Park area in the North 24 Paraganas district and the other
on Swami Vivekananda Road – but both were locked. Reportedly, the central probe
agency teams have not been able to enter the flats yet.
Rahman was taken into custody last week following an
ED raid at his flat in Kaikhali that lasted more than 53 hours.
As per the ED officials, they got hold of more than
100 documents with stamps of government offices in his flat. Rahman owns multiple
hotels, resorts and bars besides his rice mill business.
The official said a preliminary investigation has
shown that investments of more than Rs 50 crore were made in his companies.
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
had previously accused Rahman of operating with the help of senior Trinamool
Congress (TMC) leaders and ministers.
“Rahman is a key player in the siphoning of food
grains. This scam reached a new height during the Covid-19 pandemic. Food
grains were stolen even from the quota allotted for mid-day meals served to
school children,” said Chowdhury at a press conference.
NE Watch Desk
