Will book BJP, ED in FIR if Mullick dies, says Mamata

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has threatened to lodge an FIR against the BJP and Enforcement Directorate (ED) if his cabinet colleague, Jyotipriyo Mullick, dies after the central agency raided and searched the state forest minister's residences and quizzed him over 13 hours on Thursday in a ration scam probe.

The Trinamul Congress supremo however remained silent on her party MP from Krishnanagar in Nadia, Mahua Moitra, who has been summoned by the parliamentary ethics committee for appearance on October 31 for her alleged role in the 'cash for query' scandal.

Protesting the ED's move immediately after Durga Puja, Ms Banerjee claimed, "People are visiting their near and dear ones to convey Bijoya Dashami greetings. But they found ED raiding houses of Balu (the minister's nickname). This is a dirty game of BJP. Balu has high diabetes. He is suffering also. If he dies, we will lodge an FIR against BJP and ED."

The TMC chief alleged she learnt confidentially that her party MP Sultan Ahmed had died under the same circumstances earlier. The CM also accused the central agencies of unleashing "inhuman tortures in the private parts" of the persons summoned to force them to name others during questioning.

The ration scam took place when Mr Mullick earlier held the food and supplies portfolio in Ms Banerjee's cabinet. He was at home when an ED team with central forces raided his residences, BC 244 and BC 245, in Salt Lake at around 6 am.

Few hours later, Bidhannagar Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta, carrying sweets, went to convey Bijoya greetings to Mr Mullick. But he was denied entry by the central forces. Another ED team went to raid three flats of his personal assistant Amit Dey at Nagerbazar in Dum Dum but found them locked.

Mr Dey was in Puri on Puja vacation with his family. He flew back to the city in the evening. An ED team picked him up from the Kolkata Airport and raided his flats. Meanwhile the central agency also raided Mr Mullick's ancestral house in Beniatola and the house of Mr Dey's friend in Beliaghata.