Enforcement Directorate Searches 9 Premises in West Bengal
Kolkata, April 25, 2026 — As the political temperature in West Bengal reaches a boiling point ahead of the second phase of the Assembly elections, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its crackdown on corruption. On Saturday morning, the central investigative agency launched simultaneous, multi-city raids across the state in connection with the alleged Public Distribution System (PDS) money laundering scam.
According to official sources, the ED is currently searching at least nine separate premises located in Kolkata, Burdwan, and Habra (North 24 Parganas). The locations targeted primarily belong to prominent suppliers and exporters allegedly linked to the fraudulent diversion of ration grains.
The Operation Details
The raids, which are being conducted strictly under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), began early Saturday. Among the key individuals whose properties are being searched is Niranjan Chandra Saha, a prominent figure in the local supply chain network.
The central agency is heavily protected by armed central paramilitary forces to ensure the smooth execution of the searches, especially given the politically sensitive atmosphere in the state just days before the April 29 polls.
Unpacking the PDS Scam
The massive money laundering investigation stems from an initial FIR registered by the Basirhat police in October 2020. The original complaint, filed by a deputy commissioner of customs at the Ghojadanga land customs station, blew the lid off a highly organized, large-scale diversion of wheat meant for government welfare schemes.
The ED’s ongoing probe alleges that massive quantities of PDS wheat were procured at subsidized rates through unauthorized channels. This was allegedly executed through a deep-rooted collusion between corrupt suppliers, licensed distributors, dealers, and middlemen.
Instead of reaching the state’s poor, the wheat was stockpiled at hidden locations. To conceal the crime, the accused allegedly swapped out the original gunny bags bearing the markings of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the state government. The grain was then repackaged into unmarked bags and sold off in the open market at high prices or diverted for illegal export.
The scam has already seen major political fallout. The ED previously arrested former West Bengal Food Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick, along with several of his close associates, who remain in custody as the investigation continues to unearth the deeper roots of the ration mafia.
