"It's conspiracy of Central Govt": Kunal Ghosh after TMC Minister Jyotipriya Mallick's arrest

Speaking to ANI, TMC leader Kunal Gosh said that the arrest of Mallick was a 'conspiracy' of the Central government.

"It is the conspiracy of the Central government...Instead of a political fight, they are misusing Central agencies and making false allegations against our senior leadership," he said.

An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team on late Thursday night arrested West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallick in connection with an alleged case of corruption in the public distribution system (PDS). The minister on October 27 was sent to ED custody till November 6.

Mallick is currently the state minister for Forest Affairs and previously led the Food and Civil Supplies department.

The Bengal minister's arrest came a day after the ED conducted searches at his residence in Salt Lake, on the outskirts of Kolkata.

As media persons jostled and gathered around the minister while he was being whisked away by the ED sleuths, with the help of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, the minister said he was the "victim of a grave conspiracy".

The ED has been carrying out searches in connection with an alleged case of corruption in ration distribution.

Earlier this year, the ED had arrested former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee, in connection with the teachers' recruitment scam, after the recovery of huge cash from the latter's residence.

Both are facing a probe into the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment scam, according to the ED.

The TMC's Burbhum district president Anubrata Mondal had also been arrested earlier in connection with a cattle smuggling case.

The chief minister's nephew and the TMC's heavyweight leader, Abhishek Banerjee, has also been summoned and questioned by the ED on many occasions in connection with an alleged coal 'scam' case. (ANI)