Kolkata: The officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are conducting simultaneous raids and search operations in 12 locations in different pockets of West Bengal since Friday morning in connection with the ration distribution case.
The places where the ED raids and search operations are being conducted include those in the state capital of Kolkata as well as districts like North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, and Kolkata-adjacent, Howrah, sources aware of the development said.
Among the places being raided in Kolkata are the office of a businessman at the prime commercial building of Poddar Court in Central Kolkata and the office of another businessman at Minto Park in South Kolkata.
Another team of the ED officials is also conducting raids at the residence of the second businessman situated at the posh Lord Sinha Road in South Kolkata.
All the ED teams are being escorted by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.
“Recently, a person was arrested in the ration distribution corruption case. After questioning him, the investigating officials of the ED probing the PDS case came across the names of these businessmen. Friday’s raid and search operations are based on that information,” the source said.
To recall, the alleged ration distribution irregularities were first discovered in 2020, following the surfacing of information regarding corruption in sale of 762 kilograms of flour meant to be given through the Public Distribution System that was sold illegally.
Information surfaced later that a major percentage of wheat meant for disruption through the PDS was diverted to the open market and sold at premium rates.
The ED officials took over the investigation. After that, several people, including the former state food and supplies minister and former state forest minister, Jyotipriya Mallick, were arrested.
After spending over a year behind bars, Mallick is currently out on bail and even contesting the elections as a Trinamool Congress candidate.
Recently, the ED has been very active in West Bengal again in the run up to the Assembly polls in the state.
During the ongoing week, the ED officials conducted raids and search operations at several places in Kolkata in relation to an illegal land-grabbing-related money laundering case.
(IANS)
