On 6th January, West Bengal police registered an FIR against Enforcement Directorate officials who were attacked during a raid at the house of Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh in North 24 Parganas. The raid was being conducted by the central agency in connection to a ration distribution scam.
The FIR was registered under Sections 441, 379, and 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) based on the complaint filed by the caretaker of Shahjahan’s house. Reports suggest that the FIR was registered against them for attempting to “break in without warrant”.
Notably, a complaint was registered by the ED as well via email to the Director General of Police and superintendent of Basirhat police district under Sections 147, 148, 149 and 353 of the IPC. As per the complaint, ED accused the attackers of an attempt to murder. No arrests were made in connection to ED’s complaint.
In a similar incident on 5th January, ED officials faced angry supporters of TMC when they went to arrest the former chairman of Bongaon civic body Shankar Adhya in a food grain scam. Notably, former food and supplies minister Jyoti Priya Mallick has already been arrested in the matter. Reports suggest that Adhya’s supporters circled the ED officials and broke the rear windshield of one of their vehicles. However, no ED officials were injured in that incident.
In a statement, an ED official said, “A group of Adhya’s followers attacked us when we were taking him out of his Bongaon residence. The central police force personnel had to wield batons to disperse irate supporters who also pelted stones and damaged one of our vehicles. Adhya was a close aide of Mallick and we have come across clinching evidence showing his direct involvement in the irregularities using the public distribution system.”
As per reports, Union Home Minister Amit Shah sought a report from West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on the matter. Bose had summoned Chief Secretarya and DGP at Raj Bhawan but no one came to meet the governor.
Mob of 800-1000 attacked with intention to kill, said ED
In a statement, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said that its team, along with CRPF, and journalists was attacked and their vehicles were targeted in Sandeshkhali of North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal. In its statement, the probe agency said that a violent mob comprising 800-1000 people attacked the ED team with CRPF, to cause death. It added that the attackers were carrying sticks and stones. The probe agency added that the mob is suspected to be instigated by TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his associates. It further informed that three of its officials had been injured in the mob attack and admitted to hospital for treatment. In addition to injuring the on-duty ED officials, the violent mob also stole their laptops, mobile phones, wallets, cash and other belongings.
Public Distribution System Scam
On 26th October, ED raided the residence of West Bengal Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick in Kolkata in connection to a corruption case related to ration distribution. Mallick is a senior TMC leader serving as the forest minister of Bengal. Previously, he held the food minister portfolio. In response to the raid, CM Mamata Banerjee strongly criticised the central agency and accused the BJP-led government at the centre of using such actions as part of a “broader strategy” ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Interestingly, Mallick’s daughter Priyadarshini reportedly deposited Rs 3.37 crores in her bank account after the 2016 demonetisation. Being a school teacher, she draws an annual salary of 2.48 lakhs. During ED’s interrogation, she claimed to have earned the money as tuition fees. Furthermore, ED found a deposit of Rs 4.3 crores in the IDBI bank account of Mallick’s wife, Mandipa. ED arrested Mallick over an accusation of laundering Rs 95 crores using shell companies.
