Kolkata, Amit Sharma: In the ration distribution scam case in West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last week searched rice and flour mills at different places in the state including Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Howrah, besides the premises of flour packaged companies and residences of businessmen. Raids were conducted. In this operation, apart from some documents and digital devices, ED has also seized about Rs 1.40 crore from the metropolis and other places. According to sources, an amount of about Rs 1 crore was recovered only from the office of a company named Ankit India Limited located at AJC Bose Road in the metropolis. The remaining amount of around Rs 40 lakh has been seized from other places. ED suspects that the seized amount is linked to ration distribution corruption.
ED trying to collect information about transactions of two more private companies
In the investigation, the Central Investigation Agency has also found two more private companies, which were opened from Bankura’s location, it is suspected that black money was converted into white through these two companies. However, its investigation is ongoing. The names of these companies are M/s AJ Agrotech and M/s AJ Royal Private Limited. Chandi Prasanna Jana, one of the shareholders of the companies, has also been questioned by ED officials. It has also come to light that on the instructions of Chartered Accountant Shantanu Bhattacharya of Forest Minister and former Food Minister Jyotipriya Mallick, arrested in this case, about Rs 16.80 crore was deposited in the bank accounts of both the companies. ED officials had conducted a search operation in Bhattacharya’s Netaji Nagar residence only last week. ED officials are busy gathering all the information related to the transactions of both the companies.
Nearly Rs 12 crore black money was converted into white through three shell companies
ED has already expressed suspicion that around Rs 12 crore of black money was converted into white through three shell companies namely Gracious Creation Pvt Ltd, Gracious Innovative Pvt Ltd and Hanuman Realcon Pvt Ltd. Not only this, an amount of about Rs 8 crore was also deposited in the bank accounts of the companies. Abhishek Biswas, a relative of businessman Bakibul Rehman alias Bakibur arrested in the case, and others were also on the board of directors of the said companies. The companies were opened in the year 2008. Apart from them, former directors of two companies were also arrested and family members of Minister Mallik and his employees were also arrested. The family members of the minister have claimed that he has no connection with any such companies. However, during the ED raid, rubber stamps related to these companies were also recovered from the minister’s residence.