Kolkata, April 25: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated significant action in West Bengal amid ongoing elections. On Saturday, the agency conducted raids at nine locations linked to suppliers and exporters in Kolkata, Bardhaman, and Habra, North 24 Parganas, as part of an investigation into a ration distribution (PDS) scam.
The ED’s Kolkata zonal office executed these operations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). The locations raided are associated with Niranjan Chandra Saha and others accused in the ration distribution scam. A business premise in Habra was also searched.
The investigation began based on an FIR filed by the West Bengal police. This FIR was registered on October 23, 2020, at the Basirhat police station, following a complaint from the customs commissioner of Ghojadanga LCS. The complaint alleged large-scale manipulation of wheat intended for welfare schemes under the public distribution system (PDS).
The probe revealed that the accused had devised a systematic method to manipulate the PDS wheat meant for beneficiaries of welfare schemes. Wheat was purchased at lower prices through unauthorized channels, involving collusion among suppliers, licensed distributors, dealers, and middlemen. A significant quantity of wheat was illegally diverted from the supply chain and stored at various locations. To conceal its true identity, the accused removed or reversed the original bags marked by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the state government, refilling them with wheat.
By doing so, the accused hid the identifying marks of the wheat and sold the PDS wheat as legitimate stock in the open market. Consequently, they illicitly earned substantial profits and created ‘proceeds of crime.’
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DCH/
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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