WEST BENGAL, INDIA – After a violent attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials during a search operation in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released a video alleging a multi-crore scam connected to TMC leader Sahajahan Sheikh. The video, shared on social media, criticized the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, claiming that the ration distribution scam, also known as the PDS scam, could not have occurred without the involvement of the state government.
The video detailed the alleged involvement of an influential businessman, Bakibur Rahman, in supplying rice and wheat in quantities less than mandated to Fair Price Shops (FPS) distributors. The BJP claimed that Rahman was patronized by the former Food and Supplies Minister in the TMC government, Jyotipriya Mallick. Both Rahman and Mallick were later arrested in connection to the scam. The video also explained the attack on ED officials in Bengal.
Following the incident, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to comment on the Sandeshkhali attack and the subsequent escape of her party leader Shahjahan Sheikh, stating that the matter is under investigation. The central probe agency reported that three of its officials sustained ‘grievous’ injuries and were robbed of their belongings during the attack. The incident drew criticism from Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and the BJP.
Bengal Governor condemned the incident, calling for an end to “barbarism and vandalism in a democracy.” The BJP’s video has brought attention to the alleged corruption within the TMC government, sparking debates and further investigation into the ration distribution scam in West Bengal. The matter remains under investigation, with the state government facing scrutiny over its involvement in the scandal.