Jyotipriya Mallick (in inexperienced) is an influential particular person and therefore you will need to hold him in custody, the Enforcement Directorate mentioned in its plea earlier than a Kolkata court docket. (PTI)
The Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), solely accessed by News18, reveals the central company’s submissions in an effort to construct a robust case towards Mallick who’s embroiled in the ration rip-off
Trinamool Congress minister Jyotipriya Mallick is an influential particular person and therefore you will need to hold him in custody, the Enforcement Directorate mentioned in its plea earlier than a Kolkata court docket as Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s trusted aide was arrested at 2.45am on October 27.
The Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), solely accessed by News18, reveals the central company’s submissions in an effort to construct a robust case towards Mallick who’s embroiled in the ration rip-off.
In its prayer, the ED begins with a reference to a few FIRs that have been lodged in 2020 about some folks promoting Public Distribution System (PDS) objects with out a licence. The company mentioned it took up the case in 2022 because it additionally had a money-laundering angle.
The ED mentioned throughout its investigation into the place the PDS objects have been coming from, they tracked down the supply to NPG rice mill run by director Bakibur Rehman. ED mentioned the mill was empanelled by the authorities and had siphoned off large quantities of PDS materials in the non-public market. Rehman was arrested final week and has reportedly admitted to the similar, the company wrote in its ECIR.
Apart from this, the ED has additionally made the following factors in its plea:
• The company has tried to ascertain the hyperlink between Mallick and Rehman by way of cancelled tickets, WhatsApp chats and the latter’s assertion. According to the ED, Rehman’s WhatsApp chat with an worker mentions ‘MIC’ who, as per the company, refers to minister in cost.
• ED additionally speaks a few maroon diary which they allegedly bought by raiding the residences of Mallick and different accused. The company says the diary mentions that cash has been given to MIC ‘Balu da’ (Mallick’s nickname).
• Apart from this, the company mentions money transactions involving Mallick’s relations in addition to formation of three shell firms that officers say have been funded by Rehman on Mallick’s directions. The directorate additionally claims that Mallick’s kin and home employees have been administrators in these firms.
• Further, ED says they interrogated the minister’s spouse and daughter about their involvement in the shell firms which they denied. However, the company mentioned it seized stamps from their residence that substantiated ED’s declare.
• ED says PDS materials was diverted to personal gamers for private acquire as a substitute of giving the similar to beneficiaries. The company provides that it has statements which corroborate that objects have been siphoned off.
Rubbishing the ED’s prices, Mallick’s lawyer referred to as it a “story” concocted by the company that has no reality.
The company was given the minister’s custody until November 6 however since he fell in poor health in court docket, he was taken to a hospital.
Political slugfest
The TMC referred to as Mallick’s arrest “political vendetta”, with Banerjee saying earlier than the arrest that she would provoke a case towards ED “if something happens to Mallick”.
Leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh amongst others held press conferences by way of the day, backing the minister and calling out the “witch hunt”.
However, BJP chief Suvendu Adhikari mentioned: “All the allegations against Mallick are true. The chief minister was aware of the same and she removed Mallick from the food ministry to protect him. Now, she should come under the purview of the investigation.”
