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West Bengal: On Friday, A team of the Probe Agency Enforcement Directorate was attacked in Sandeshkhali of West Bengal. The incident was took place from North 24 Parganas district, where they had gone to raid the house of Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh in the ration scam case.
The team was attacked as it approached residence of Trinamool leader Shah Jahan Sheikh. Amid the attack, several media vehicles at the location were also vandalised. According to the information, their car was vandalised and the camera was broken.
More than 200 locals surrounded the Enforcement Directorate officials and the central armed paramilitary forces, According to the information. According to the police report, there were no immediate reports of any injuries in the incident.
Last year, the anti-corruption agency had arrested TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mallick in connection with the alleged case of corruption in rationing distribution. Nearly 30 per cent of the Public Distribution System (PDS) ration meant for beneficiaries in West Bengal was diverted to the open market, the Enforcement Directorate had earlier revealed.
The probe agency said that the proceeds of crime generated from the alleged pilferage of ration were shared between the millers and PDS distributors.
In a statement, the Enforcement Directorate said,”Rice millers opened fake bank accounts of farmers in connivance with certain people, including some cooperative societies, and pocketed the MSP meant to be paid to paddy growers. One of the key suspects has admitted that nearly Rs 200 per quintal was earned by rice millers for grain which was to be procured by government agencies at MSP from farmers. Several rice millers have been following this practice across the state over the years.”
On October 14 last year, the investigating agency had arrested flour and rice miller Bakibur Rehman, who was sent to judicial custody. Incriminating material and Rs 1.42 crore were seized during multiple searches conducted on 11, 26 October and 4 November. Rs 16.87 crore deposited in the bank accounts of shell companies were frozen.
The investigating agency had arrested West Bengal Minister Jyoti Priyo Malik in a money laundering case related to the scam. He served as the Minister of Food Supplies from 2011 to 2021, during which period there were reportedly “irregularities” in ration distribution. A local court has sent Malik to ED custody till November 6.
