The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at eight locations, including two residences of Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra, in connection with an alleged multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job scam in West Bengal. The probe is linked to recruitment irregularities in Kamarhati Municipality.
The searches highlight ongoing investigations into alleged corruption within West Bengal's municipalities, impacting political figures and potentially leading to further legal actions and political fallout for the ruling Trinamool Congress party.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted simultaneous raid and search operations at multiple locations in Kolkata and adjacent districts on Saturday, including two residences of Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra, in connection with an alleged multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job case in West Bengal. The raids and search operations at Mitra’s residence are linked to recruitment irregularities in Kamarhati Municipality in North 24 Parganas district.
Mitra, a three-time party legislator from Kamarhati, served his first term from 2011 to 2016 and has been a legislator since 2021. On Friday night, Mitra reportedly expressed discontent over alleged harassment of Kamarhati Municipality Chairman Gopal Saha and directed all Trinamool Congress councillors of Kamarhati Municipality to resign.
All ED teams were heavily escorted by central armed police forces (CAPF) personnel. Separately, former three-time Trinamool Congress legislator and former West Bengal Fire Services minister Sujit Bose is in judicial custody in connection with irregularities in the Municipalities job case after his arrest by the ED last month. Bose is accused of involvement in recruitment related irregularities in South Dum Dum Municipality in North 24 Parganas district and certain money-laundering-related cases.