The Enforcement Directorate has said that its investigations till now have revealed that the ration distribution scam in West Bengal is to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore out of which at least Rs 2,000 crore was transferred to Dubai.
It is also likely to seek the help of the National Investigative Agency (NIA) after the twin attacks on its teams on Friday in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali and Bongaon when they had gone to raid the houses of two district-level leaders of the Trinamool Congress in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution scam, ED sources have told The Daily Guardian.
Trinamool Congress senior leader and Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick is in ED custody in the same case and the two leaders who were raided on Friday were known to be close associates of Mallick.
In a statement on Monday, the ED said that it had initiated investigation in the “PDS scam” on the basis of various FIRs registered by West Bengal Police after various “private persons were allegedly found in unauthorized possession of PDS ration and involved in bogus procurement of paddy. During ED investigation, it has been revealed that proceeds of crime were generated and shared among various persons by adopting various modus operandi.
“During the investigation, it was revealed that such persons laundered the proceeds of crime using corporate identity of various companies, invested in acquisition of various immovable properties and also transferred part of said proceeds of crime to certain companies under the control and beneficial ownership of Jyoti Priya Mallick.”
It further said that during investigation, searches were conducted at various Full-Fledged Money Changers (FFMC) companies and associated persons on 05.01.2024 and relevant evidence was seized during the search. “The investigation carried out so far indicates that the magnitude of the scam is enormous, and the proceeds of crime received and further transferred and layered by one suspected person itself are suspected to be at-least to the tune of Rs. 9,000 – 10,000 Crore and out of that, Rs. 2000 Crore were also suspected to be transferred to Dubai either directly or through Bangladesh.
In this regard Sankar Addhya, resident of Bongaon, who has owned and controlled many FFMC companies, was arrested on 05.01.2024 and produced before Ld. Special PMLA Court, Kolkata, which granted him 14 days of ED custody.”
The Enforcement Directorate statement also said that during the search at the residence and office premises of Shahjahan Shekh, “Convenor of TMC Sandeshkhali”, ED teams were attacked and accordingly, a complaint was made to the jurisdictional Police for registration of FIR for offences under Section 307, 333, 326, 353, 392, 395, 397, 149, 148, 186, 189, 426, 435, 440, 341 & 342 r/w Section 120B, 109 and 115 of IPC, 1860. However, the West Bengal Police registered FIR no. 09 of 2024 at Nazat P.S. for offences i.e. 147, 148, 149, 341, 186, 353, 323, 427, 379, 504, 34 which were mostly bailable and non-scheduled offences. It also said a copy of the FIR had not been shared with this Directorate.
In its two-page statement, the Enforcement Directorate also referred to the other incident at Bongaon in the North 24-Parganas district in which its officers were attacked when it raided and later arrested Shankar Adhhya, a Trinamool leader who also controls multiple money-changing and forex firms.
“All the ED team members as well as CRPF personnel were threatened and assaulted by the crowd and obstructed the officials of the ED in performing their official duty at around 11:30 p.m. In this case Bongaon police was informed through email at 8:46 AM and thereafter SP Bongaon was contacted on mobile at around 4:00 PM with the request to provide sufficient security to the ED team.
Despite this request, a crowd was allowed to gather near the premises being searched and the crowd pelted stones and attacked the ED team around 11:30 p.m.. No physical injury was noticed to any ED officials but the crowd damaged the vehicles of the ED search team. A formal complaint has been lodged with the concerned Police authorities. FIR Copy is awaited in this case also.”