Express News Service
KOLKATA: In the backdrop of the attack on officers of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas, when they raided the house of local Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she was not bothered about criticism against her. Those questioning West Bengal’s law and order situation were trying to malign the state, she alleged.
Mamata’s remark without referring to any particular incident came in the wake of the muscle flexing by her party’s North 24 Parganas strongman Shahjahan, which triggered a furore in West Bengal’s political landscape.
“I am not bothered about criticism against me. But, I will protest if anyone tries to malign the state. Those questioning the law and order situation are trying to malign the state,” said Mamata while addressing the Students Week event in Kolkata.
The Sandeshkhali incident, in which three ED officers were bashed and left bleeding, became the centre of discussion in Bengal. Mamata made it clear that she did not like non-stop telecast of the episode on news channels.
“They (these channels) are interested in spreading negative information. I once asked one of them why they continuously show one incident for 24 hours, and the reply was ‘Didi, this is for TRP’,” she added.
The Bengal CM wondered how the law and order situation could be as bad as depicted, given that the Srirampur police station in Hooghly district was recognized as a model police station in the country by the central government itself for its track record in addressing public grievances and cases.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in a statement on Monday, said Rs 2,000 crore out of the proceeds to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore of the foodgrain scam was transferred to Dubai either directly or through Bangladesh. The central agency suspects Shahjahan, who is on the run for three days since the ED officers were bashed up, played a key role in the money transfer in connivance with the former food and supplies minister and Mamata’s trusted lieutenant Jyotipriya Mallick, who is presently behind bars in connection with the same case of irregularities.
“During investigation, it has been revealed that proceeds of the crime were generated and shared among various persons by adopting various modus operandi. Such persons laundered the proceeds of the crime using the corporate identity of various companies, invested in acquisition of immovable properties and also transferred part of it to certain companies under the control of Mallick,” said an ED officer.
The officer pointed out that being a resident of the pocket close to Bangladesh and involved in unlawful activities, a huge sum was transferred to an overseas country. “We suspect Rs 2,000 crore was transferred to Dubai. Other than Shahjahan, the arrested Shankar Adhya, the former chief of a civic body in North 24 Parganas, played a key role in transferring the money through his foreign currency exchange business,” he added.
Though the federal agency issued a lookout notice for Shahjahan and alerted the Border Security Force (BSF) suspecting he might sneak into neighbouring Bangladesh, the Bengal police are yet to arrest the key suspect in the foodgrain scam case who is also responsible for the attack on the central agency’s officers.
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KOLKATA: In the backdrop of the attack on officers of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas, when they raided the house of local Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she was not bothered about criticism against her. Those questioning West Bengal’s law and order situation were trying to malign the state, she alleged.
Mamata’s remark without referring to any particular incident came in the wake of the muscle flexing by her party’s North 24 Parganas strongman Shahjahan, which triggered a furore in West Bengal’s political landscape.
“I am not bothered about criticism against me. But, I will protest if anyone tries to malign the state. Those questioning the law and order situation are trying to malign the state,” said Mamata while addressing the Students Week event in Kolkata.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The Sandeshkhali incident, in which three ED officers were bashed and left bleeding, became the centre of discussion in Bengal. Mamata made it clear that she did not like non-stop telecast of the episode on news channels.
“They (these channels) are interested in spreading negative information. I once asked one of them why they continuously show one incident for 24 hours, and the reply was ‘Didi, this is for TRP’,” she added.
The Bengal CM wondered how the law and order situation could be as bad as depicted, given that the Srirampur police station in Hooghly district was recognized as a model police station in the country by the central government itself for its track record in addressing public grievances and cases.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in a statement on Monday, said Rs 2,000 crore out of the proceeds to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore of the foodgrain scam was transferred to Dubai either directly or through Bangladesh. The central agency suspects Shahjahan, who is on the run for three days since the ED officers were bashed up, played a key role in the money transfer in connivance with the former food and supplies minister and Mamata’s trusted lieutenant Jyotipriya Mallick, who is presently behind bars in connection with the same case of irregularities.
“During investigation, it has been revealed that proceeds of the crime were generated and shared among various persons by adopting various modus operandi. Such persons laundered the proceeds of the crime using the corporate identity of various companies, invested in acquisition of immovable properties and also transferred part of it to certain companies under the control of Mallick,” said an ED officer.
The officer pointed out that being a resident of the pocket close to Bangladesh and involved in unlawful activities, a huge sum was transferred to an overseas country. “We suspect Rs 2,000 crore was transferred to Dubai. Other than Shahjahan, the arrested Shankar Adhya, the former chief of a civic body in North 24 Parganas, played a key role in transferring the money through his foreign currency exchange business,” he added.
Though the federal agency issued a lookout notice for Shahjahan and alerted the Border Security Force (BSF) suspecting he might sneak into neighbouring Bangladesh, the Bengal police are yet to arrest the key suspect in the foodgrain scam case who is also responsible for the attack on the central agency’s officers.
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