Kolkata, March 30: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a summons to Debashish Kumar, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA from the Rashbehari assembly constituency in South Kolkata, regarding illegal land occupation in West Bengal.
As this report was being prepared, Kumar had arrived at the ED office located in the Central Government Office (CGO) complex in Salt Lake for questioning. He has been nominated again as a candidate from the Rashbehari assembly constituency.
Sources indicate that on March 28, ED officials conducted raids in Kolkata and surrounding areas related to the illegal land occupation case. On the same day, searches were also carried out at the offices of an organization and the residences of its associated officials.
This organization reportedly raised funds by promising investors hefty profits but was accused of defrauding them. Kumar’s name emerged during the investigation, prompting the ED to issue the summons based on their findings.
It has been revealed that the ED initiated its investigation based on approximately 17 FIRs filed against this organization at various police stations across West Bengal. During the raids and searches on March 28, ED officials examined the organization’s financial records and interrogated its directors and senior officials.
During the investigation and questioning, Kumar’s name was brought to light, leading the investigators to decide on questioning him further.
The TMC leadership has claimed that the central government is once again using central investigative agencies to harass party leaders and candidates ahead of the two-phase assembly elections scheduled next month in West Bengal, citing Kumar’s summons as an example.
However, state leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have stated that the ED’s investigation is being conducted under a court order, asserting that the central government or the BJP has no involvement in this matter.