The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the ration scam in West Bengal, filed the first charge sheet in the case in the special PMLA court. were arrested in Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallik And the names of businessman Bakibul Rahman alias Bakibur, who is considered close to him, are also there. Also there are names of 10 shell companies. ED has claimed to convert the black money of the scam into white through these companies. ED has claimed in its 162-page charge sheet that a ration scam worth about Rs 100 crore has taken place in the state. So far, property worth about Rs 31 crore has been seized. ED also claims that the money received from the scam through shell companies was mainly invested in other sectors or by buying and selling shares.
Minister Jyotipriya Mallick’s daughter and wife were directors in three companies at different times.
According to sources, Minister Jyotipriya Mallick’s daughter and wife were directors in three such companies at different times. Besides, two other relatives of the minister were also directors in companies at different times. During investigation, five fake companies were also found in the name of Bakibul. ED officials have also given details of the connections of the minister’s confidant Bakibul with these shell companies. The chargesheet also details the modus operandi adopted by Bakibull. It has been told how he sold the wheat and rice distributed through the Public Distribution System in the open market.
Important role of Bakibul in accounts opened in the name of fake farmers
ED has also claimed that Bakibul has played an important role in bank accounts opened in the name of fake farmers. In the scam, farmers were defrauded on a large scale through some rice and flour mill owners and middlemen agents. Some cooperative societies have also played a role in the scam. Through them, bank accounts were opened in the names of fake farmers. In this scam, instead of farmers, the owners of rice mills pocketed Rs 200 per quintal of rice. Bakibul is also facing allegations that the money deposited in bank accounts opened in the name of fake farmers was transferred to the accounts of companies opened in the name of him and his associates.
There was a huge loss of government revenue
The state government has suffered a huge loss in revenue due to this corruption. With the help of agents, the owners of the rice mills involved in the scam had opened bank accounts in the names of fake farmers. It was through them that paddy was purchased from farmers at lower prices. That is, paddy was not purchased from those farmers on the basis of Minimum Support Price (MSP) in disregard of government rules. After this, money was deposited in the bank accounts opened in the name of fake farmers to show it in the government account, in which it was shown that paddy was purchased from those fake farmers on the basis of MSP.
Jyotipriya’s family received a huge amount through Buckybull
In the charge sheet, it has been claimed that the family members of Minister Jyotipriya Mallik got a huge amount as loan through Buckybull. About Rs 2 crore deposited in the bank accounts of Jyotipriya’s daughter and wife have been frozen. It has also been claimed that the ration scam continued from 2011 to September this year. It is noteworthy that in October this year, Minister Jyotipriya and businessman Bakibul, considered close to him, were arrested. About 46 days after the arrest of the minister, ED has filed a charge sheet in the case.