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In a dramatic pre-dawn operation, a large contingent of police, accompanied by central forces, raided the Kalighat residence of Trinamool Congress (TMC)
national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday. The raids were conducted in connection with a case filed in a police station in Paschim Medinipur district. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate raided TMC MLA Madan Mitra as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged municipality recruitment scam.
Police Raid At Abhishek Banerjee's Residence
Police teams, including officers from Paschim Medinipur's Salboni Police Station and Kolkata Police, arrived outside Abhishek Banerjee's Patuapara residence shortly after 3 am, according to news agency PTI.
Central force personnel took positions outside the premises while police officers conducted the searched. The operation continued for more than four hours.
The development came barely two days after the West Bengal CID questioned Banerjee in connection with the alleged forged-signature case linked to the state assembly and amid a series of fresh summons issued to him by multiple investigating agencies.
Officials Broke Open Lock, Alleges Abhishek Banerjee
The TMC alleged that the police teams broke open the lock and entered Banerjee's premises. "They broke open the lock, entered the house and searched every room," Banerjee claimed.
Officials, however, did not immediately clarify the specific case in connection with which the operation was carried out and are yet to respond to the allegations levelled by the TMC leader.
ED Raids Against TMC MLA Madan Mitra
The EC conducted raids at seven premises linked to TMC MLA and former minister Madan Mitra. Mitra represents the Kamarhati assembly seat in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district.
It is alleged that Mitra received bribes in the form of cash and gold through middlemen in relation to the appointment of undeserving candidates for various posts to different municipalities, including Kamarhati municipality, ED officials said, as quoted by the agency. They claimed Mitra is "linked" to 125 such illegal appointments.
(With PTI inputs)
