Enforcement Directorate.
Enforcement Directorate.
Ration Scam:The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday raided the house of West Bengal Minister Jyotipriya Malik in Salt Lake, Kolkata. The search has been conducted in connection with Malik’s alleged involvement in a case of corruption in ration distribution. ED officials, with the help of a team of central forces, have raided two flats of the state forest minister. Jyotipriya Malik was holding the charge of Food Minister before becoming Forest Minister.
Many officers present inside the flat
The search operation is also going on at eight other flats including the residence of Malik’s former personal assistant when he was the Food Minister. The minister was not present there during the raid. He came later and his phone had been snatched. According to media reports, eight officers are present inside. The central investigation agency has already arrested a person who allegedly has close links to the ruling Trinamool Congress as well as Mallik.
Who is Jyotipriya Malik?
The 63-year-old minister of state had won the Habra constituency in North 24 Parganas in the last West Bengal elections in 2021. He is currently the Minister of Forest Affairs. Malik earlier held the Food and Supplies Department in the Government of Bengal. Mallik is a lawyer by profession and according to reports, he has assets worth Rs 6 crore. There is no criminal case against him. Jyotipriya Malik earned Rs 40 lakh in 2019-20, Rs 52 lakh in 2018-19 and Rs 12 lakh in 2017-18. According to his election affidavit, Mallik had Rs 22,000 in cash and Rs 4.8 crore deposited in his bank account.
