The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the money trail in the alleged irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS) in Bengal, has decided to question family members of arrested Trinamul leader Sankar Addhya.
An ED officer said several of them were involved in foreign exchange companies owned by Sankar.
Sankar’s brother Malay was called for questioning on Wednesday but he did not turn up. Others have been asked to appear before officers on separate days after January 12, the ED officer said.
At least six out of over 90 forex companies, which were opened over the last few years, had Sankar’s family members as chief office-bearers, the investigating agency said.
Sankar, who was arrested early on Saturday, told reporters “I am a victim (of conspiracy)” when he was being taken for a medical check-up on Wednesday.
The ED had arrested Shankar, former chairman of Bongaon Municipality, on January 6 after almost 17 hours of questioning at his home in Shimultala, Bongaon, in North 24-Parganas.
Shankar was arrested for his alleged involvement in channeling close to Rs 9,000 crore, which ED officers said was the proceeds of the PDS scam.
The money was allegedly transferred through Shankar’s companies. “Most of the foreign exchange trading companies did not abide by the rules of the business. They did not collect passport details of the senders and the addresses of the receivers,” an ED officer said.