The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing into the alleged parking of funds from irregularities in the public distribution system in Bengal, on Thursday carried out searches at the residences of forest minister Jyotipriya Mullick, who was earlier the minister in charge of food and supplies.

The ED also went to the homes of Mullick’s personal assistant and his chartered accountant, among others, as part of searches in at least a dozen places in Calcutta and Howrah.

The immediate trigger, ED officials said, was Mullick’s alleged links with Bakibur Rahman, a Calcutta-based businessman who was arrested two weeks back in connection with the probe.

Mullick, now the minister-in-charge of forest affairs and non-conventional and renewable energy sources, has denied any link with Bakibur or his previous department for the past two years.

Senior ED officials said it was necessary to question the minister after it appeared that Bakibur amassed assets to the tune of nearly Rs 100 crore when Mullick was also the Trinamul district chief of North 24-Parganas where Bakibur hails from.

Alleged irregularities involving the sale of wheat meant for public distribution through fair-price or ration shops took place from 2020 to 2021 first quarter when Mullick was the minister in charge of the food and supplies department, ED officers said.

“An Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was lodged in April 2022 in this particular case and the probe is aimed at tracing the money trail from irregularities in ration distribution,” said a senior ED officer.

A team of ED officials turned up at two Mullick’s adjoining houses in Salt Lake’s BC block around 6.30am. The search continued for over 12 hours as CRPF personnel stood guard.

Other teams visited Mullick’s ancestral home at Beniatola in Sovabazar, that of two apartments of his personal assistant Amit Dey in Nagerbazar, his chartered accountant’s home in Tollygunge and one of the minister’s close acquaintances in Howrah’s Ichhapore.