Kolkata: Teams of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) began raids at multiple locations in the metropolis on Tuesday morning in connection with its ongoing probe into the multi-crore ration scam in West Bengal, a senior official said.
Accompanied by central forces, the ED teams conducted the raids at Salt Lake, Kaikhali, Mirza Galib Street, Howrah, and a few other places, he said.
The ones who are being questioned include businessmen and people closely related to those earlier arrested in the scam.
“These raids are connected to the ration distribution scam. We have got information about the involvement of these people after questioning those who have already been arrested in the case,” the ED official told PTI.
He said raids are being conducted at the premises of three people, including a foreign exchange trader who hails from Bangaon in North 24 Parganas district.
“In this scam, funds have been transferred to different accounts abroad. This particular businessman is from Bangaon and shares a good rapport with arrested TMC leader Shankar Adhya,” the official said.
Adhya was the former chairman of the Bangaon Municipality, and the central probe agency had earlier claimed that he owns at least 90 forex trading companies registered under the names of his family members.
Raids are underway at the businessman’s office in Sector V of Salt Lake and his two flats on EM Bypass, the official said.
The ED has arrested state forest minister Jyotipriyo Mallick, who was earlier the food minister, for his alleged involvement in the scam.
Sleuths of the agency have also been conducting searches to trace absconding TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in connection with the scam.
Shajahan skips ED summons for third time
Absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh failed to appear before Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers on February 12 despite being summoned for the third time in connection with the multi-crore ration scam, an officer said.
ED officers, who remained waiting for the TMC leader till evening with a list of questions at their office in the CGO Complex in Salt Lake here, said they were mulling legal options regarding their next step in the matter.
“Shajahan did not appear before our officers today for questioning. They waited for Sheikh till late evening. No one on his behalf appeared before our officers today. We are mulling legal options to decide on our next step,” the ED officer told PTI.
The ED had issued the summons to the TMC leader for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore ration scam.
On January 24, the ED had sealed Shajahan’s residence following a search operation in connection with the scam. On January 5, a team of ED officials was assaulted by a mob when they tried to enter the TMC leader’s residence in Sandeshkhali. Three officers were injured in the attack.
