Bengal ration distribution case: ED now grills arrested minister's elder brother

Kolkata, Oct 30 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the multi-crore ration distribution case in West Bengal, has now started questioning Debopriya Mallick, the elder brother of current state forest minister and former state food & supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mallick, arrested recently by the central agency sleuths in connection with the case.

Debopriya Mallick arrived at ED’s Salt Lake office in the northern outskirts of Kolkata at around 10 a.m. on Monday. He was seen carrying a number of files while he entered the central agency office.

Sources said that his questioning by a team of central agency sleuths have already started after completion of filling up the mandatory forms. He is not allowed to retain his mobile phone along with him during the interrogation session.

On Sunday afternoon, the minister’s daughter Priyadarshini arrived at the ED office to submit some documents that the central agency sleuths sought from her. However, she was unable to submit those documents since Sunday being a holiday the submission of the documents was not possible. She came and left the ED office silently without answering any questions from the waiting media persons.

Sources said that the central agency sleuths are currently examining the documents related to the assets, properties and bank accounts of the close family members of the minister.

At the same time, chat and call records of as many as 20 mobile phones seized by the ED sleuths in relation to the multi-crore ration distribution case in West Bengal is expected to provide crucial clues that will be instrumental in establishing influential links with the case, said sources.

In fact, the clues regarding the minister’s involvement in the matter was first revealed from a WhatsApp message from the mobile phone of Bakibur Rahman, the Kolkata- based businessman who was the first to be arrested by the ED sleuths in the ration distribution case.