Jyotipriya Mallick, West Bengal’s forest minister who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged ration scam, said while being taken for a medical check-up that he is a victim of BJP’s conspiracy and that TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and party leader Abhishek Banerjee are “aware of what is going on”.
Mallick’s statements came after the Chief Minister held a press conference in Nabanna, the state secretariat, backing her minister and targeting the BJP for using central agencies to harass her party leaders.
Mallick was arrested by ED in the early hours of October 27 and sent to 10-day custody. After a brief stay in a private hospital, he is now being interrogated at the ED office at CGO complex, Salt Lake.
“I am innocent. The BJP has conspired. I am with my party. I am with Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. They know everything. Within two days, the truth will come out,” said Mallick while he was taken out of CGO complex by ED officers for a routine health check-up on Friday morning.
When Banerjee was asked about his arrest during a press conference on Wednesday, she said, “This is a political question. This is not the appropriate platform to answer. My party will answer. Of course, he is our minister. Do you know how we worked for digital ration cards? How we cancelled one crore false ration cards? For other legal questions, I will not answer. They will defend themselves… Arvind (Kejriwal) ko bhi notice bheja… Five to six MPs are saying that their phones have been hacked…”
The state opposition meanwhile took a dig at the CM following Mallick’s comments.
“There is such a huge ration scam which is being unearthed. Huge unaccounted money and properties are being found. Still he is talking big. However, one thing he said is right – that Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee know everything. BJP has nothing to do with it. The probe is being done under directions of the court,” said Rahul Sinha, BJP state leader.
CPIM leader Sujan Chakraborty said, “It is true that the CM knows everything. From ration to school jobs, everywhere there is a scam and the CM is aware of it all.”