Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) faced a second round of mob fury early on Saturday when it arrested Trinamul Congress leader Shankar Adhya during a marathon raid at his residence in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
As Adhya was taken into custody around 12.30 am on Saturday, his followers gathered on the road, armed with sticks, attempting to resist the ED from taking him away. They also pelted stones at an ED car, which managed to safely transport Adhya to CGO Complex in Salt Lake with the assistance of central forces.
Adhya, the former chairman of the Bongaon municipality and a close aide of state minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, was questioned by the ED in connection with the ration scam. Adhya's wife, Jyotsna Adhya, claimed her husband's innocence, stating that he had no role in the scam and was falsely implicated. She mentioned that an ED officer informed her that minister Mullick had earlier mentioned Adhya's name during interrogation, leading to his arrest.
The ED, on the other hand, accused Adhya of engaging in illegal transactions of nearly ₹20,000 crore overseas, converting them into dollars through 90 foreign exchange dealers over the last decade. The agency produced Adhya before a PMLA judge at the Bankshall Court, where his lawyer countered the allegations, arguing that his client had abided by the law in forex trading. The court later remanded Adhya in 14-day ED custody.
Simultaneously, the ED team that raided Shahjahan Sheikh's house has been booked in an FIR on non-bailable charges at the Nyajat police station in Basirhat. The complaint alleged that the ED, without a warrant, attempted to break into the property, stole items, and molested women. The FIR includes charges under sections 354 (molestation), 379 (theft), and 441 (illegal trespass) of the Indian Penal Code.
These developments come in the wake of the ED lodging an FIR against Sheikh and his followers for attacking its team. Additionally, a suo motu FIR has been filed against the attack on mediapersons and obstructing public servants from discharging their duties. The ED has issued a lookout circular against Sheikh at all airports, suspecting a potential escape to Bangladesh.
