IT raids TMC leaders forward of West Bengal election; Mamata Banerjee questions timing| India Information
The Revenue-Tax (IT) Division on Friday searched the premises of a number of Trinamool Congress (TMC) members, together with a key candidate for the upcoming West Bengal meeting elections and a proposer of Mamata Banerjee’s candidature, triggering sharp response from chief minister Mamata Banerjee who questioned the timing of the raids forward of the voting on April 23 and 29.
The raids have been carried out on the premises of TMC MLA Debashish Kumar, who’s contesting from Rashbehari meeting seat, and Miraj Shah, a proposer of Banerjee’s candidature from Bhabanipur constituency.
“Searches are occurring,” a police officer mentioned within the morning, referring to Kumar’s residence on Padmapukur Highway. Kumar’s workplace in Ballygunge space was additionally searched. The residence of one other TMC chief, Kumar Saha, was searched in South Kolkata.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had final week questioned Kumar twice in a separate alleged land-grabbing case. It searched at the very least 5 areas associated to a number one actual property group in Kolkata and Salt Lake.
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The same search operation was carried out on the residence of Shah on Elgin Highway in Bhawanipore, which went on till 4 pm. No IT officers spoke to the media. Shah, a member of the trustee board on the Bhawanipore Training Society, which runs a university, proposed Banerjee’s candidature as a consultant of the Gujarati group. Whereas there was no official communication from the IT division, sources mentioned that the central company searched Kumar’s residence, workplace and of his relative’s residence in reference to a case coping with some unlawful land grabbing.
“I feel it is best to ask them why they got here right here and what they received after the search. If they supply paperwork, I will even present. I feel the margin of my victory within the polls will rise. I’d thank the officers. They behaved very properly. There wasn’t any drawback. It’s only that I needed to droop my campaigning throughout the day,” Kumar advised reporters within the night. Slamming the raids throughout an election rally in West Burdwan’s Durgapur, Mamata Banerjee mentioned: “Unable to counter me politically, they’ve began IT raids at houses of my celebration leaders. They’re cowards. However none of this may assist the BJP.”
TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar questioned the timing of the raids. “Elections are on the doorsteps. [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi and [Union home minister Amit] Shah have introduced with all of them the central companies, ECI [Election Commission of India]and central forces. What they don’t have is the folks’s help.”
TMC staff stage protest
TMC staff additionally staged a protest in opposition to the raids outdoors Kumar’s workplace and Saha’s residence. Kumar, a lawmaker within the outgoing meeting, can be a Kolkata Municipal Company mayor-in-council member.
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) chief Rahul Sinha hit again on the TMC, accusing Kumar of receiving kickbacks for an unlawful land deal. “Your entire celebration[TMC)iscorruptBengalwantscorruptleaderstobebehindbarsAlltheywantistocatchthievesandfillupthejails”hesaidTMCstatevice-presidentJayPrakashMajumdarsaid“MerajSahhasbeentargetedbytheBJPjustbecauseheproposedMamataBanerjee’scandidatureBJPhaspulledBengal’spoliticsdowntothislevel”[TMC)iscorruptBengalwantscorruptleaderstobebehindbarsAlltheywantistocatchthievesandfillupthejails”hesaidTMCstatevice-presidentJayPrakashMajumdarsaid“MerajSahhasbeentargetedbytheBJPjustbecauseheproposedMamataBanerjee’scandidatureBJPhaspulledBengal’spoliticsdowntothislevel”
Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Debjit Sarker countered the allegation. “The IT division has nothing to do with elections or the BJP. They conduct their operations independently. If TMC has any drawback with the raid then it may transfer court docket,” mentioned Sarkar. Polling in Rashbehari and Bhabanipur might be held on April 29.
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