TMC questions ED for sending tainted official for raid

TMC [Representational Image]


Trinamul Congress today demanded a clarification from the Enforcement Directorate as to how an official, Rajkumar Ram, with a tainted image could be sent to conduct a raid at the house of Sheikh Shajahan in Sandeshkhali. Addressing the media Kunal Ghosh, state general secretary of Trinamul Congress said Mr Ram is an FIR accused.

The CBI had filed an FIR against him on charges of disproportionate assets. His asset was Rs 1.82 lakh on 1 April, 2016 but went up by several times by 31 March, 2020. “How could he be sent to conduct a raid,” he questioned.

Mr Ghosh said “BJP is trying to create a narrative to malign Trinamul Congress. There is a general perception of the people that the BJP was sending the agencies to malign the leaders of opposition parties. The investigating agencies have failed to file charges against the accused. It is interesting to note that some BJP leaders on 31 December, 2023 had said that something is going to happen in North 24-Parganas in near future.” In Sandeshkhali, people became hostile to see the ED officials and the incident was the result of instigation by the ED.

He said the investigating agencies should come out of its double standards. “CBI FIR named accused Suvendu Adhikari is not touched after he came out of the BJP washing machine. Trinamul does not support corruption but the investigation should be held impartially,” he said. Coming down heavily on the BJP he said the party has no right to talk on safety of women and law and order situation in any state.

He said the Supreme Court today ordered the accused who were given clean chit by the Gujarat High Court and released by the BJP-led Gujarat government in Bilkis Bano case, be sent to jail as the government had misled the court. “It is a shame. The saffron party has no right to talk on safety of women and law and order situation in any state,” he observed.