Kolkata: A day after West Bengal Forest Minister Jyotpriya Mallick's house was raided by the Enforcement Directorate, the minister was arrested on Friday morning after a marathon interrogation in connection with a case of alleged corruption in ration distribution during his tenure as the state’s Food minister.
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As usual, the minister pleaded innocence while he was being whisked away by sleuths. “I am a victim of a grave conspiracy. This is what I can say,” Mallick said. Mallik, who was taken into custody by ED officials from his home in Kolkata’s Salt Lake at around 3.23 am, was arrested after a 20-hour round of questioning. Earlier on Thursday at around 6.30 am, the ED raided his two flats of the BC block, Salt Lake (BC 244 and BC 245).
Sources said the ED said is investigating Mallick’s links to businessman Bakibur Rahman, who was recently arrested in the case. The sleuths also conducted a raid at the residence of Mallick’s personal assistant Amit Dey in his Nagerbazar flat on Thursday.
Last week, Rahman was arrested in a marathon 53-hour ED raid at his flat in Kaikhali. ED sources said over 100 documents with stamps of government offices were found in the flat of Rahman, who owns several hotels, resorts, and bars besides his rice mill business.
The ED sources said that a preliminary investigation has shown that investments of more than Rs 50 crore were made in his companies. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister on Thursday criticised the BJP-led Centre for ED raids on eight places including state forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick.
Banerjee in her usual tone alleged that the Centre is targeting her ministers just after the Durga Puja. Leader of Opposition Suvendhu Adhikari shot back at the Chief Minister. Mamata Banerjee, “My question is why a single BJP leader’s house was not raided? Why a single BJP leader’s house was not raided? Why was only one BJP minister’s house raided? Why was only one BJP thief’s house not raided?”
The raid in Mallick's house provided fodder to the BJP, which was quick to train its gun on the Trinamool Congress government. Leader of Opposition Suvendhu Adhikari alleged that there was no way that Mallick, who is involved in the big scam, and known Bakibur Rahman since 2012.
”Since 2012 Bakibur Rahman knows Jyotipriya Mallick. It is a very very big scam. The raid was long due. The raid should have happened even before. ED has found links to multiple crores of rupees properties owned by Bakibur Rahman. How can a normal man grow into a millionaire in such a quick time?," asked Adhikari.
