As West Bengal braces for the second phase of Assembly elections on April 29, the Election Commission (EC) and central agencies have intensified their crackdown to ensure a "free and fair" poll. On Saturday, the EC ordered the immediate suspension of five senior police officers in Diamond Harbour for alleged bias, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) simultaneously launched fresh raids across the state in connection with a multi-crore Public Distribution System (PDS) scam.
These high-stakes maneuvers come just 48 hours after a high-turnout first phase, as authorities move to secure the electoral landscape against both administrative misconduct and financial influence.
EC Orders Suspension Of 5 Officers
The EC on Friday ordered the suspension of five police officers in the Diamond Harbour Police District for alleged misconduct and failure to maintain unbiased decisions during the elections.
The suspended officers are identified as Sandip Garai, Additional SP; Sajal Mondal, SDPO; Mausam Chakraborty, IC, Diamond Harbour Police Station; Ajay Bag, IC of Falta Police Station; and Subhechha Bag, Officer-in-Charge of Usthi Police Station.
The EC further instructed to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the suspended officers. Along with that, a warning has been issued to SP Ishani Pal, as she failed to maintain fairness and discipline among her subordinates in elections-related duties. The EC has additionally directed the state government to send a compliance report by 11 am Saturday.
ED Raids Various Places
Also, the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday has conducted searches in parts of Bengal in connection to a money-laundering probe into an alleged Public Distribution System (PDS) scam, officials said.
As part of the investigation, searches were carried out on nearly nine premises of suppliers and exporters in Kolkata, Burdwan, and Habra. This includes properties linked to Niranjan Chandra Saha as well. The searches were conducted under the provisions of the Money Laundering Act. The same agency had conducted searches for the same case in the past.
The money laundering case stems from an October 2020 FIR registered by Basirhat Police, on the complaints of the deputy commissioner of customs at the land customs station in Ghojadanga. The complaint said that large-scale diversion of the Public Distribution System (PDS) wheat meant for welfare schemes.
According to reports, large quantities were then illegally diverted from the supply chain and sent to multiple locations in stockpiles. To hide its origins, the accused allegedly removed or reversed original gunny bags bearing markings of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Bengal government, refilling them to conceal identifying features. Previously, West Bengal food minister Jyoti Priya Mallick and several others were apprehended in connection with the case.
West Bengal is set to vote in the second phase of Assembly elections on April 29; the first phase was held on April 23.