Bengal ration distribution case: Minister Mallick remanded to ED custody till Nov 6

Kolkata: A special court in Kolkata, on Friday remanded West Bengal Forest Minister and former Food & Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mallick to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till November 6 for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore ration distribution case in the state.

Mallick was arrested on Friday morning after a 20-hour raid at his residence that started on Thursday morning.

“It was noticed that a hefty amount of Rs 20 crore was transferred to these accounts of these two companies and this transfer was done following the instructions by the accused on this count,” the ED counsel informed the court on Friday afternoon.

The minister became sick and also fell unconscious after hearing the order.

The judge of the special court directed for medical check-up and treatment of Mallick at the Defence-run Command Hospital.

The judge also directed the Command Hospital authorities to form a medical board for the purpose in the next 24 hours. The judge also allowed supply of home- made food to the arrested minister during his stay in the ED custody.

However, there was a condition that before that food was served to the minister, his daughter would have to examine the same food in presence of the central agency officials.

The judge also allowed Mallick to interact with his counsel for an hour daily till his stay in ED custody till November 6.

On hearing the news of Mallick falling sick during the course of hearing, Trinamool Congress supporters assembled at the court premises and shouted “Shame on ED” slogans.

To recall, on Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cautioned that FIRs will be filed against ED officials, if there was a negative effect on the Minister’s health of Mallick as “he is suffering from high blood-sugar and is not in the proper health condition”. “So if anything happens to him because of the unnecessary harassment, we will have to file FIRs against the ED officials,” the Chief Minister asserted.