ED raids several locations of TMC MLA Jiban Krishna Saha, his relatives in SSC scam case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an extensive, early-morning search operation across several districts in West Bengal, targeting individuals linked to the ongoing SSC recruitment scam. The most significant raids were carried out in the districts of Murshidabad and Birbhum, where the properties of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Jiban Krishna Saha and his close relatives were simultaneously targeted. The coordinated action signals a renewed push by the central agency to unravel the deeper layers of the corruption scandal.

According to ED officials, a five-member team, accompanied by Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, arrived at the residence of Jiban Krishna Saha in Andi, under the Barwan assembly constituency, early Monday morning. The team immediately cordoned off the house and began their search. The MLA was present at his home and is currently being interrogated by the ED officials regarding his alleged involvement in the scam.

The raids were not limited to the MLA's residence alone. The ED also conducted a raid at Saha's in-laws' house in Raghunathganj (Piyarapur). In a parallel operation, another ED team raided the house of Maya Saha, a TMC councilor from Ward No. 9 in Sainthia, Birbhum, who is also the MLA's aunt. Central forces were deployed outside her residence as well while the officials conducted their search inside.

While ED officials declined to comment on the specifics of the operation, they confirmed that the raids were directly related to the SSC recruitment scam. Jiban Krishna Saha's name had previously surfaced in this high-profile case. It is noteworthy that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested him in April 2023 in connection with the same matter. At that time, Saha was accused of attempting to destroy evidence by throwing two of his mobile phones into a pond during the search.

The phones were later recovered, and Saha spent approximately 13 months in jail before being granted bail by the Supreme Court. The current ED raids suggest that new leads or evidence may have emerged, prompting the fresh investigation into his properties and those of his family members.

In addition to the raids on the MLA and his relatives, the ED has also raided the house of Rajesh Ghosh, a bank employee in Mahish village, Murshidabad. Reports also indicate that ED teams are active at several locations in Kolkata, suggesting a broader investigation that could expose more individuals involved in the scam. The ongoing operations underscore the relentless efforts of the central agencies to bring all culprits to justice.