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West Bengal: An early hours of Saturday,Shankar Adhya, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged ration distribution scam. Former Bongaon municipality chairperson Shankar Adhya arrested a day after an ED team, which was on its way to raid another residence of TMC leader, was attacked.
The police officer said that he was arrested after an extensive search by the ED on the premises linked to him in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. As he was being taken away by central forces, there were protests from the locals.
Yesterday, the ED’s team was attacked and its vehicles were damaged in Sandeshkhali village of North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal because of the probe against the leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress. The ED was conducting raids on the premises of Shankar Adhya and another TMC leader Sahajahan Sheikh in West Bengal in connection with the alleged ration distribution scam.
Two officials of the agency sustained injuries in the incident, the agency added. According to the probe agency, nearly 30 per cent of the Public Distribution System (PDS) ration meant for beneficiaries in West Bengal was diverted to the open market.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader is known to be an aide to arrested former food minister and current forest minister Jyotipriyo Mallick. He was the municipal chairman at Bangaon municipality from 2015 to 2020.
Currently, he is one of the members of the TMC district advisory committee. During the investigation, his alleged involvement in the alleged ration distribution scam was found by the ED.
They added that Jyotipriyo Mallick had also taken his name during questioning by the probe agency. The ED said Shankar Adhya had been arrested for his alleged role in the scam. Sources said that the TMC leader had a rice mill and foreign currency exchange business in Bangaon. It is being investigated whether he laundered money through his business, which came through the scam.
