ED searches Bengal food min’s house

Kolkata, Oct 5: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched multiple locations, including the residence of West Bengal Food and Supplies Minister Rathin Ghosh for over 16 hours on Thursday in connection with its investigation into the alleged irregularities in the recruitments done by the civic bodies in the state, officials said.
Along with a large contingent of Central forces, the investigators reached Ghosh’s residence in Michaelnagar in North 24 Parganas district around 6.10 am, they said.
Simultaneously, the investigators began searches at 12 other places including residences of the former chairman of civic bodies of Titagarh, Kamarhati and Dakshin Dumdum in connection with the case, they added.
Ghosh, the TMC MLA of Madhyamgram, was earlier an office-bearer of the Madhyamgram Municipality. During the search operations, mobile phones belonging to Ghosh’s family were taken, a senior officer said.
Talking more about the search operations, the officer said that Thursday’s raid was part of their “sudden plan”.
“Ghosh and others were mainly asked about the recruitment made for the civic bodies and what were roles in that. We are going through the files and computers and laptops and mobile phones,” he told PTI, adding that several documents were also seized.
Asked how long their searches would continue, the ED sleuth said that it depends on the need of their investigation.
The ED has alleged that around 1,500 people were illegally recruited by different civic bodies in the state, between 2014 and 2018, against monetary considerations. (PTI)