ED raids residences of WB minister, TMC leaders

KOLKATA, Jan 12: The ED resumed its raids on Friday and searched the residences of state Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose, TMC MLA Tapas Roy and another TMC leader in connection with the alleged irregularities in civic body recruitments.
The ED raids of Friday are the first since the assault of ED officers during a raid at the residence of a TMC leader ar Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district just a week ago.
On Friday the exercise began the exercise at 7 am and it is still on.
The Enforcement Director officers initially faced resistance when attempting to enter Bose’s residence and gained access after about 40 minutes, sources in the agency said.
In a departure from the previous instances in the state, a substantial contingent of central police personnel cordoned off Bose’s residence and prevented any gathering of party supporters near it. The central forces were equipped with additional protective gear, including helmets and automatic guns.
Forces were dispatched to the residences of the three leaders by respective local police stations too. They cordoned off the areas around the houses.
The heightened security response followed the violent attack on ED officers which left three of them injured during an attempt to raid.
The TMC has denounced the coordinated searches at the homes of the party leaders terming them as “vendetta politics and a desperate manoeuvre” by BJP before the Lok Sabha polls this year.
Two arrested
Two persons were arrested on Friday in connection with the attack on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team during a raid at the house of TMC leader Shajahan Seikh in Sandeshkhali last week, police said.
Those arrested were identified as Mehaboob Mollah and Sukomal Sardar. “Based on various video footage, today we have arrested the two persons,” Basirhat SP Joby Thomas said.
The duo were produced before a court, which sent them to police custody for three days.
Sheikh, who was raided in connection with the alleged ration scam, is still on the run. (PTI)