 commenced raids at various locations in the metropolis on Tuesday morning as part of their ongoing investigation into the multi-crore ration scam in West Bengal, according to a senior official.){kind=link}
Teams from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) commenced raids at various locations in the metropolis on Tuesday morning as part of their ongoing investigation into the multi-crore ration scam in West Bengal, according to a senior official.
Accompanied by central forces, the ED teams conducted raids at Salt Lake, Kaikhali, Mirza Galib Street, Howrah, and several other places, the official confirmed.
The individuals under scrutiny include businessmen and individuals closely associated with those previously arrested in connection with the scam.
“These raids are linked to the ration distribution scam. We obtained information about the involvement of these individuals after interrogating those already apprehended in the case,” stated the ED official to PTI.
He further revealed that the raids targeted the premises of three individuals, including a foreign exchange trader hailing from Bangaon in North 24 Parganas district.
“In this scam, funds have been transferred to various overseas accounts. This particular businessman is from Bangaon and has strong connections with the arrested TMC leader Shankar Adhya,” the official added.
Adhya, the former chairman of the Bangaon Municipality, reportedly owns numerous forex trading companies registered under the names of his family members, as per earlier claims by the central probe agency.
Raids are currently underway at the businessman’s office in Sector V of Salt Lake and his two flats on EM Bypass, as disclosed by the official.
The ED has already arrested state forest minister Jyotipriyo Mallick, former food minister, for his alleged involvement in the scam.
Additionally, the agency’s investigators are conducting searches to locate absconding TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in connection with the same scam.