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ED arrests West Bengal minister Jyoti Priya Mallick
Mallick, who served as the state’s food minister before he was allocated portfolios of public enterprises and industrial reconstruction and forests, said he was a victim of “a deep conspiracy”
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested West Bengal minister Jyoti Priya Mallick in the early hours of Friday in connection with the alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam after raiding his two houses and three other places a day earlier.
Mallick’s arrest is the latest in the series of arrests of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and ministers, including Partha Chatterjee, Anubrata Mondal, and Manik Bhattacharya.
TMC leaders are facing multiple probes related to alleged school recruitment, cattle smuggling, coal smuggling scams, and irregularities in recruitment in civic bodies. TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and his wife have been questioned in alleged coal smuggling and teacher recruitment scams.
As he was being taken to the ED’s office in Salt Lake after his arrest, Mallick said he was a victim of “a deep conspiracy”.
The ED earlier on October 14 arrested businessman Bakibur Rahaman, who is alleged to have sold in the open market rice and wheat meant to be supplied to ration distributors. ED officials said he has close links with Mallick.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday lashed out at ED while raids were being conducted at Mallick’s premises. She said Mallick was not keeping well and had high sugar levels. Banerjee warned if he died, they would lodge a case against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ED.
She added that TMC Member of Parliament (MP) Sultan Ahmed suffered a cardiac arrest and died after the Central Bureau of Investigation summoned him. “Wife of TMC MP Prasun Banerjee also died,” Banerjee said.
The BJP hit back calling Banerjee a liar. “She does not want an opposition that criticises her. She has allowed her nephew [Abhishek Banerjee] to run the government and she tries to shield the thieves of her party. Just like the way she did today,” said BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
