Scam: Bengal minister Jyoti Priya Mallick held by ED in ration ‘scam’ | India News

KOLKATA: Bengal minister Jyoti Priya Mallick became the fourth member of the Mamata cabinet to be arrested while in office when an Enforcement Directorate team took him into custody at 2.45am Friday, more than 20 hours after landing at his residence in Kolkata’s Salt Lake for a search linked to the alleged ration pilferage scam in his former department.
Mallick, who was accused of refusing to cooperate in the investigation, threw up and appeared to collapse when he was produced in a court in the afternoon. He was admitted to a private hospital after the court remanded him in ED custody till November 5.
While being escorted out of his home by ED officers earlier in the day, Mallick told reporters, “I am a victim of a grave political conspiracy hatched by BJP and (Nandigram MLA) Suvendu Adhikari.”

TMC mantri tells court he needs med aid, then faints
Bengal minister Jyoti Priya Mallick’s arrest in the alleged ration pilferage scam was followed by dramatic events in the courtroom as he fainted soon after telling the court that he needed medical attention. Mallick, who underwent a three-hour medical examination at the ESI Hospital after his arrest, started complaining of uneasiness soon after entering the courtroom.
When chief metropolitan magistrate Tanumoy Karmakar asked him if he was coerced or tortured by ED, he said he needed medical attention. “I have been asked by my doctors to walk 10,000 steps every day. I need to do that to keep my blood sugar in check. My legs start swelling if I do not do that,” he said.

After submissions by lawyers on both sides, Mallick once again rose to speak about his medical condition. He then slumped in his chair, at which his daughter Priyadarshini, a professor of microbiology, rushed to her father’s side. Some officials splashed water on his face and Mallick regained consciousness. He then started vomiting.
The ED probe officer submitted that the agency was ready to get him admitted to a hospital of his choice “as a special case”. He was taken to the hospital. During the hearing, ED lawyer Phiroze Edulji alleged that Bakibur Rahaman, the prime accused, had transferred money to three companies at Mallick’s behest. Rahaman allegedly pilfered PDS foodgrain and sold these in the open market through a statewide network.

Mallick’s daughter and wife were directors of the three companies till 2015. Mallick, who was then food minister, allegedly asked Rahaman to transfer the money to the firms as loans. While his daughter and wife Manidipa denied having any link with the companies, ED claimed they had found stamps and seals of all three firms that establish they were directors. The ED also mentioned payments of Rs 12 lakh by Rahaman to a person called ‘MIC’.
Mallick’s lawyer Shyamal Ghosh said the allegations against his client were unfounded. “There is nothing substantial in the remand note of ED. They have mentioned ‘another person’, but there is nothing specific. They are trying to arrest a person based on the statement of a co-accused. This is absolutely unacceptable.”

Watch ED arrests West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallick in alleged ration distribution corruption case