New Delhi: The CBI carried out raids at the residences of several Trinamool Congress leaders, including an MLA and two councillors, on Thursday. The searches were conducted in connection with their alleged involvement in irregularities related to school recruitment in West Bengal, an official said.
Search operations were conducted at the residence of Jafikul Islam, the MLA of Domkal in Murshidabad district, and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) councillor Bappaditya Dasgupta and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation councillor Debraj Chakraborty, reported news agency PTI.
“These raids are being conducted as a part of our investigation into the teachers’ recruitment scam. The raids are on. We are questioning the people whose homes and offices are being raided,” the official told PTI.
According to the official, the central agency conducted raids at the Patuli residence of Islam on the outskirts of Kolkata and seized documents and bags containing cash and jewellery.
Sources in the CBI told PTI that they also seized around Rs 4 lakh from the possession of Islam’s wife and around 120 grams of gold ornaments during the raid.
CBI sleuths also raided one college run by the MLA in Murshidabad district and looked for documents. Simultaneously, the search operations at Dasgupta’s residence in Patuli and Baishnabghata continued for five hours.
During this time, CBI sleuths confiscated the TMC leader’s bank statements, two mobile phones, and several documents, including the bio-data of a couple of candidates.
TMC Reacts To CBI Raids
Trinamool Congress lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the ongoing CBI raids.
Addressing a press conference, TMC said, “CBI’s raids at the houses of our leaders exemplify BJP’s attempt to divert people’s attention from Home Minister Amit Shah’s failed rally.”
CBI’s raids at the houses of our leaders exemplify @BJP4India’s attempt to divert people’s attention from HM @AmitShah’s failed rally.
In an effort to malign our reputation, a rumor is being spread that money has been found at our MLA’s residence during the raid.
BJP, finding… pic.twitter.com/vOlEQXdW1Z
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) November 30, 2023
“In an effort to malign our reputation, a rumor is being spread that money has been found at our MLA’s residence during the raid. BJP, finding cash at someone’s residence doesn’t tantamount to illegality without proper scrutiny,” it added.
