Former Bongaon Municipality Chairman Shankar Adhya was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday midnight in relation to an alleged ration scam case. The arrest unfolded following an extensive search of Adhya’s premises in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. This development occurred a day after an ED team encountered an attack during their raids linked to the same case.
On Thursday night, ED officials faced hostility in the North 24 Parganas district as they were en route to conduct searches at the residences of Shankar Adhya and Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan in connection with the alleged ration scandal. Supporters of the Trinamool Congress leader protested outside his residence during the raid, escalating into a violent confrontation where a mob attacked ED officials and damaged their vehicles.
A member of the ED team involved in the raid recounted, “Eight people came to the spot. We three moved from the incident spot …they attacked us.” Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leaders asserted that the assault on the ED team in West Bengal was a result of provocation. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh accused the Central agency of working against his party’s leader under the influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Describing the incident in Sandeshkhali, Ghosh stated, “What happened in Sandeskhali was an effect of provocation. In West Bengal, central agencies and forces on the instructions of the BJP are going to the residence of one or the other TMC leader or workers to harass, spread negative statements and provoke people. We are receiving such allegations and that’s what happened in Sandeshkhali yesterday.”
On Thursday night, an ED team conducting a raid at the residence of former Bongaon Municipality Chairman Shankar Adhya in Bangaon and TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan’s house in connection with the alleged ration scam case faced an attack, resulting in damage to their vehicles in Sandeshkhali village of North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.