West Bengal PDS scam: Former Minister Jyotipriya Mallick granted bail

Former Minister Jyotipriya Mallick being produced before the Bankshal Court by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam, in Kolkata, West Bengal.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Former Trinamool Congress Minister Jyotipriya Mallick was on Wednesday (January 15, 2024) granted bail by Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Kolkata. He was granted bail on a personal bond of ₹50 lakh and two sureties of ₹25,000 each.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Mr. Mallick on October 27, 2023 in connection with a scam where food grains meant for public distribution were siphoned off and sold in the market. A charge sheet was filed against Mr. Mallick and others on December 12, 2023.

Also read: Arrest of Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick sparks political row in West Bengal

The investigation agency claimed that the magnitude of the scam involving the public distribution system (PDS) in West Bengal was to the tune of “₹9,000-₹10,000 crore”. Out of which, ₹2,000 crore were suspected to be transferred to Dubai either directly or through Bangladesh.

Mr. Mallick was the Minister of Food and Supplies Department when the alleged scam took place. When he was arrested, he was the Minister of State Forest Department.

Others accused in the scam included rice mill owner Bakibur Rahaman and former Bongaon Municipality chairman Shankar Adya. Both were granted bail in August 2024. The ED has alleged that Mr. Mallick had close links with Mr. Rahaman.

While the ED had opposed bail for the former Minister alleging that he was key to the scam, the lawyers appearing for Mr. Mallick said his health was failing and that there was no need for long incarceration. With the bail, the former Minister will be released from prison after 14 months.

An influential leader in the Trinamool Congress from the State’s North 24 Parganas district, Mr. Mallick was the second Trinamool Minister to be arrested after former Minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested in the school recruitment scam in July 2022. Mr. Chatterjee still remains behind the bars.