The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday raided some of the currency changers owned by Sankar Addhya, an arrested Trinamul leader, as part of its investigation into alleged foreign exchange transactions to channel proceeds of the crime in the state’s public distribution system.
Separate ED teams went to at least six addresses allegedly linked with Addhya, a former chairman of Bongaon Municipality in North 24-Parganas. One of the addresses is the office of Addhya’s chartered accountant in Sector V.
ED officers said they wanted to check documents related to the transfer of funds and find out whether norms were followed when money was sent abroad.
Over 90 firms owned by Addhya and engaged in money transfer were involved in allegedly transferring around Rs 20,000 crore over the past few years, ED officers said.
Of this amount, close to Rs 9,000 crore was linked to the PDS scam.
Former food and civil supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallik, who is now in custody in connection with the scam, was allegedly the head of the racket involved in the irregularities, an ED officer said.
“We are trying to establish the route through which the money was channelled as part of our investigation,” said an officer. “We wanted to check the audited results of some of these companies and interact with the owners of Addhya’s chartered accountancy firm.”
The ED teams visited Addhya’s firms on Marquis Street, Chowringhee Lane and Collin Street. At least six of the 90-odd forex companies have Addhya’s family members as chief office-bearers, the central investigating agency said.