The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been conducting searches since Saturday morning at multiple premises linked to Kamarhati Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Madan Mitra in connection with the probe into the municipal recruitment scam.

In a release, the ED stated, “ED Kolkata is conducting searches at 7 premises related to Madan Mitra, MLA TMC and Ex Minister in the Municipality Recruitment Scam. Investigation conducted so far has revealed that Shri Madan Mitra received bribe in form of cash and gold through middlemen in relation to appointment of undeserving candidates for various posts to different municipalities including Kamarhati municipality. Madan Mitra is linked to more than 125 such illegal appointments. Further investigation is underway.”

Searches were conducted at Mitra’s house and office in Bhawanipur, apart from properties in Kamarhati, Dakshineswar, Beleghata, Joka, and Behala.

The ED searches came a day after a team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) visited Mitra’s house to probe the Bengal Assembly signature forgery case. Reacting to the visit, Mitra said, “The CID came to my house in the morning. They asked me to cooperate in the forged signature case. They told me, please just receive this notice. I received it. They left after giving me a notice. They were there for a minute and a half.”

Mitra, however, has not given any response to the ongoing ED searches.

Meanwhile, Mitra Friday asked all TMC councillors of Kamarhati Municipality to resign following the resignation of Municipality Chairman Gopal Saha. Mitra has alleged that Saha was forced to resign. The Kamarhati MLA claimed that he would bring the TMC back to power again in the municipality if fresh elections were held.

Reacting to the controversies linked to Mitra, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee said, “If someone commits a sin, they must suffer the punishment for it. No one will be spared in matters of corruption.”