ED to seek custody of Bengal minister in ration distribution scam

Kolkata, Oct 27: Enforcement Directorate (ED) has decided to seek the custody of West Bengal forest minister and former state food & supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mallick, arrested early Friday morning in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution scam.

Mallick will be presented at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata on Friday afternoon and agency insiders claimed that their counsel will seek the custody of the minister. Phiroze Edulji, as the special public prosecutor, will be representing ED in the matter.

Sources said that getting the custody of Mallick has become imperative as the central agency sleuths now want to question him by putting him face to face with Bakibur Rahman, the Kolkata- based businessman arrested earlier by the central agency sleuths in the ration distribution case.

Agency insiders said that since during the marathon questioning throughout Thursday the minister had been thoroughly inconsistent in his answers and after a point of time even went to a total non-cooperation mode, questioning him together with Rahman has become imperative.

The main charge in the ration distribution case is that wheat supposed to be supplied through fair price distribution shops under the state food & supplies department were actually sold in the open market.

All these irregularities, sources added, took place when Mallick was in charge of the state food & supplies department from 2011 to 2021 and hence he cannot shy away from his responsibilities on this count.

Rahman as believed by the ED sleuths played a key role in the entire irregularities. Several official seals of the state food & supplies department were also recovered by the central agency sleuths from his office.

ED sleuths have also tracked assets and property worth over Rs 100 crore registered in the names of Rahman, family members, relatives and close associates.