West Bengal: ED Arrests TMC Minister Jyotpriya Mallick Over Corruption In Ration Distribution

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Jyotpriya Mallick, the Forest Minister of West Bengal on Friday (27 October) morning, in connection with a corruption case involving the distribution of ration during his tenure as the state's Food Minister.

Mallick, taken into custody by ED officials from his home in Kolkata's Salt Lake around 3:23 am, declared, "I am a victim of a serious conspiracy," Indian Express reported.

His arrest followed a 20-hour interrogation, beginning when ED officials arrived at his residence at 6:30 am the previous day. The ED had been conducting search operations since Thursday morning in two flats in the BC block of Salt Lake (BC 244 and BC 245), which are reportedly linked to the Minister.

In total, the ED conducted raids at eight residences, including those of Mallick and his associates, as part of the ongoing investigation. The investigation is focused on Mallick's connections to businessman Bakibur Rahman, who was recently arrested in the same case.

Rahman's arrest came after a 53-hour ED raid at his Kaikhali residence the previous week, during which more than 100 documents with government office stamps were discovered. Rahman, who owns multiple businesses, including hotels, resorts, bars, and a rice mill, is suspected to have received investments exceeding Rs 50 crore in his companies.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a press conference at her Kalighat residence on Thursday, where she criticised the BJP-led Central Government and central agencies for the raids on eight locations, including the home of state forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick.

She alleged that her party leaders and ministers were being harassed shortly after Durga Puja and accused central agencies of conducting invasive searches under the pretext of investigations.

She then added, “Lok Sabha election is due only after five months. Elections in five states are going on. The son of a Chief Minister’s house was raided. My question is, will the country run in this way? They are changing the law anytime. They are calling a standing committee meeting whenever they want. They are suddenly saying change the name India and start using Bharat. Why are you so scared? Now, what will you do if we start using the name Bharat instead of India or with India?”

Banerjee questioned why only the residences of TMC leaders were targeted and why no BJP leader's home was raided. She expressed concern for Mallick's health, noting his pre-existing diabetes and deteriorating physical condition, and threatened to file an FIR against the BJP and ED if anything were to happen to him.

In response to the raids, the BJP called for Mallick's arrest and claimed that Bakibur Rahman had known the minister since 2012, suggesting a significant scandal. They urged the central agency not only to conduct raids but also to make arrests.

West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury previously alleged that Rahman operated with the assistance of senior TMC leaders and ministers. He emphasised the severity of the ration corruption case, implicating everyone from the Food Minister to ration dealers and even the police.

The case revolves around irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS) and substantial corruption in food grain distribution in the state, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Earlier in the year, another TMC Minister, Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Banerjee were arrested by the ED in a separate 'school jobs scam.'