Enforcement Directorate Conducts Raids In Habra Days Before West Bengal Poll Phase

Officers of the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday carried out raids and search operations at multiple locations in Habra in West Bengal, just days ahead of the second phase of Assembly elections scheduled for April 29.

The searches, conducted with the assistance of Central Armed Police Forces personnel, are linked to the ongoing investigation into the public distribution system (PDS) case.

Sources, however, said multiple teams of ED officials left their Salt Lake office in Kolkata early in the morning and proceeded to the targeted sites.

The raids were conducted at the residences of three rice traders and mill owners. These included Sagar Saha, Partha Saha and Rajib Saha. They are believed to be close associates of Jyotipriya Mallick, the Trinamool Congress MLA from Habra and former state Food & Supplies Minister.

Jyotipriya Mallick was earlier arrested by the ED in connection with the same case. He, however, spent a considerable period in custody before securing bail. He is now contesting the Assembly elections again from Habra.

The search operations covered Sagar Saha’s residence at Srinagar in Habra. They also extended to the homes of Rajib Saha and Partha Saha on Subhash Road near Deshbandhu Park.

Sources indicated that the raids are linked to a previous incident. In that case, 175 vehicles carrying rice and wheat were allegedly being smuggled. The consignment was headed into Bangladesh through the Ghojadanga border in Basirhat.

The consignment had been intercepted by the Border Security Force ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections.

The development, however, comes amid heightened political activity in the state, with polling underway in phases.

In a related move, ED officials recently questioned Nusrat Jahan. She is a former Trinamool Congress MP from Basirhat and was examined in connection with the same case.