ED arrests TMC minister Jyoti Priya Mallick after raids in ration distribution scam case

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Jyoti Priya Mallick on Friday in connection with a money laundering scam. The senior politician was apprehended around 3.30 am after extensive questioning and subsequent medical tests at a Kolkata hospital. Mallick's residence was raided earlier this week as the ED probes a multi-core ration distribution scam in the state.

The developments have since sparked a furious war of words between the BJP and TMC in West Bengal. “He was non-cooperative and gave confusing and self-contradictory replies to our officers during the questioning yesterday. He kept on saying that he was unable to take questions as he was ill.

We need him to get answers to several queries related to the scam. The minister has been involved in the ration distribution irregularities," an ED officer told PTI. The arrested lawmaker however insisted on Friday that he was the victim of a ‘grave conspiracy’ hatched by former-colleague-turned-BJP-leader Suvendu Adhikari.

Mallick is a diabetic patient and has several other ailments. He was taken to Bankshall Court after three hours of medical check up and the ED has sought custody. The forest minister's arrest has also sparked a political debate with BJP leaders calling for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation.

The TMC meanwhile insisted that it would give a ‘befitting’ response to the other party in ‘each and every election’. “This was about to happen; we we waiting for it. A huge scam has happened and Mamata Banerjee needs to take responsibility for it.

If Jyotipriya Mallick is being interrogated, Mamata Banerjee needs to be interrogated before that because she is the CM and under her, all these things happened. She didn't know? What is she there for? Ask her to resign and sit at home. But before you