ED raids residences of Jyotipriya Mallick, his assistant in ration distribution scam case

Earlier, Centre raised questions about alleged irregularities in the ration distribution system and slammed the state government over alleged anomalies during the pandemic. The ED raided the residences of former food supplies minister and his assistant in connection with the case.

Kolkata:The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday launched a raid at the residence of West Bengal former food supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick in connection with an alleged corruption in ration distribution. Also the residence of the minister's assistant, Amit De in Dum Dum was raided.

Notably, the Centre has often raised questions about alleged irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS) and also trained its guns on the West Bengal government over 'anomalies' in the distribution of food grains during the lockdown.

Accompanied by Central Army jawans, the ED sleuths reached forest minister Mallick's Salt Lake residence. According to sources, the minister was at home when the raid was conducted.

The ED officials conducted search operations in several other places along with Mallick's residence since morning. According to ED sources, Mallick's name surfaced after the arrest of Bakibur Rahman, a businessman in the ration corruption case. The investigating agency is probing into Mallick's alleged links to Rahman.

A team of central forces arrived at the minister house in Salt Lake BC block this morning. The team also went to his flats in Nagerbazar and Swami Vivekananda Road but these were found locked.

While investigating the municipal recruitment case, the sleuths came to know about the ration corruption case. Ahead of Durga Puja, the CBI conducted simultaneous raids in various municipalities of the state and the residences of state minister Firhad Hakim and Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra in this connection.

Now, the ED officials have conducted a search operation at a total of eight locations across the state into the alleged corruption in ration distribution.