Former West Bengal Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallick was on Wednesday granted bail by an Enforcement Directorate (ED) special court in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam on a personal bond of Rs 50 lakh.
The former minister has also been directed to furnish a bail bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of Rs 25,000 each. The court has ordered Mallick to cooperate with the investigation and attend court on each and every date he is directed, submit his mobile number to the investigating officer, submit his passport, and refrain from “influencing” witnesses or commenting to the media.
Mallick stepped out of the Presidency Correctional Home on Wednesday evening at around 5:30 PM, accompanied by his daughter, Priyadarshini Mallick, and his legal team. Following the court’s directives, he avoided addressing the media or engaging with his supporters.
Mallick, who held the Food and Supplies portfolio from 2011 to 2021, was arrested by the ED on October 27, 2023, from his residence in Salt Lake in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam in the state. The arrest was made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ruling Trinamool Congress has welcomed the court’s decision, while the opposition BJP said there is nothing to rejoice as Mallick has not been acquitted yet.
“We welcome the court’s decision as the arrest was vendetta politics. It is now the responsibility of the ED or CBI to prove the allegations, which we doubt very much,” said TMC state vice-president Jaiprakash Majumdar.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, remarked that bail is not a cause for celebration, as Mallick has not been proven innocent. “In the legal process, getting bail is a natural phenomenon. But he has not been acquitted. He has already been in prison for nearly 14 months. His property has been seized by the ED. So, let the legal process proceed. Those who have indulged in corruption cannot escape the law,” Adhikari said.
The former minister’s arrest had sparked political controversy, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) accusing central agencies of targeting opposition leaders under the BJP-led central government’s directive. The TMC has consistently denied the allegations of corruption, labelling them politically motivated.
Additionally, Mallick has also denied the charges, asserting that he acted in accordance with government rules and procedures during his tenure.
In February 2024, Mallick, who is a diabetic patient with various ailments, was removed as the forest minister and the department was reallocated to Birbaha Hansda.
In August 2024, three accused in the ration scam — Bakibur Rahman, Shankar Adhya, and Biswajit Das — were granted bail by the special PMLA court against a personal bond of Rs 50 lakh each.
Earlier, the ED sources had alleged that some documents found at Rahman’s house led to the arrest of Mallick.
Adhya, the former Bongaon municipality chairman, who was a close associate of Mallick, was arrested by the ED in January 2024 and businessman Biswajit Das, accused of laundering ration scam money through hawala channels, was arrested in February 2024.
The ED had on December 12, 2023, filed a charge sheet before the court against Mallick and Rahman in the alleged ration distribution scam case.
The charge sheet was filed 46 days after Mallick’s arrest.
— WITH PTI Inputs