Kolkata: Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Rahul Navin arrived in the city on Tuesday, four days after his officials were attacked during a raid at TMC leader Sahjahan Sheikh’s house in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, official sources said.
The ED chief arrived at the Dumdum airport at around 2315 hours and had a meeting with three ED officials there for an hour before leaving the airport for a night halt in a hotel.
Sources said the ED chief will have meetings with the officials to review the ground reality of the situation.
ED’s Kolkata office had already dispatched detail report regarding the attacks on Friday at two places – Sandeshkhali in N 24 Parganas where Sahjahan Sheikh, accused of orchestrating attacks on the ED officials as well as the CRPF, and in Bongaon where former municipality chief Shankar Addya alias Daku lives.
While the ED officials returned from Sandeshkhali abandoning the search operation fearing for life, its team at Bongaon arrested Addya, accused of his involvement in the ration distribution scam.
At least three ED officials were injured, one of them received head injury, and their vehicles were vandalized by a group of supporters of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh.
Sources said the visiting ED director Rahul Navin, will preside over an indoor meeting with his officials at CGO complex at Salt Lake.
The ED on Saturday issued a lookout notice for fugitive Sheikh, who is still evading arrest.
Meanwhile, the ED suspected that the PDS scam ranged in between Rs 9,000 – 10,000 crore, of which Rs 2000 crore was seemingly transferred to Dubai either directly or through Bangladesh.
‘The ED initiated investigation into the PDS Scam based on various FIRs registered by West Bengal Police wherein various private persons were allegedly found in unauthorized possession of PDS ration and involved in bogus procurement of paddy. During ED investigation, it has been revealed that proceeds of crime were generated and shared among various persons by adopting various modus operandi, ” the central probe agency said in a statement.
The ED said during the investigation, it was revealed that such persons allegedly laundered the Proceeds of Crime (POC) using the corporate identity of various companies, invested in the acquisition of various immovable properties and also transferred part of said POC to certain companies under the control and beneficial ownership of (former Food Minister) Jyoti Priya Mallick.
“During further investigation, searches were conducted at various Full Fledged Money Changers (FFMC) companies and associated persons on January 5 last and relevant evidence was seized during the search. The investigation carried out so far indicates that the magnitude of the scam is enormous, and the proceeds of crime received and further transferred and layered by one suspected person are suspected to be at least to the tune of Rs. 9,000 – 10,000 crore and out of that, Rs. 2000 Crore were also suspected to be transferred to Dubai either directly or through Bangladesh,” the ED statement added.
In this regard, former Bongaon (in North 24 Parganas district) Municipalty Chairman Sankar Addhya (resident of Bongaon), who has owned and controlled many FFMC companies, was arrested and produced before a. Special PMLA Court, Kolkata, which granted him 14 days of ED custody.
