In connection with the alleged ration scam in West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Shankar Adhya, the former chairman of Bongaon Municipality, early on Saturday morning, according to officials.
The raid lasted for nearly 17 hours
Adhya, a TMC leader in the North 24 Parganas district, was taken into custody from his Simultola home in Bongaon following agency searches of properties connected to him and his relatives. According to them, these searches lasted for at least 17 hours on Friday.
TMC leader’s supporters attacked ED’s cars
Aside from throwing stones at the investigators’ cars, his supporters are said to have attempted to prevent him from being taken with them after the arrest. They added that to bring the crowd under control, the CRPF members with the ED team had to baton-charge them.
Adhya was interrogated
“Along with the searches, Adhya was also being questioned. He was arrested as his replies were not satisfactory,” an ED officer said, PTI reported. Adhya is close to Jyotipriyo Mallick, the state minister, who was detained in relation to the alleged scam last year.
8 Lakh cash and documents seized
The ED had searched the TMC leader’s properties as well as the homes of his in-laws, associates, and an ice cream factory related to them. According to the officer, the ED also took about Rs 8 lakh in cash from the in-laws’ home in addition to documents. Adhya told reporters shortly after his arrest, “I’ll cooperate with the ED and will help them in every possible way.”
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