The leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, alleged on Sunday that Bakibur Rahaman, the Kolkata-based businessman arrested recently by the ED in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution case, had donated an hefty amount to the Covid relief fund of the state government in 2021.

Accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of receiving the donation cheque from Rahaman, Adhikari also named two influential bureaucrats, claiming that they played the role of intermediaries in the process.

The two bureaucrats named by Adhikari are Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi and then Secretary to the Food & Supplies Department, Pervez Siddique.

“Will the Chief Minister please clarify whether she accepted a cheque for her Covid fund from ‘Ration Thief’ Bakibur, who was brought to Dwivedi, her principal henchman in 2021 by another conspirator Mr. Pervez Siddiqui, Food Secretary,” Adhikari said in a message posted on his X handle.

Meanwhile, the medical condition of state minister Jyotipriya Mallick, who was arrested by the ED in connection with the ration distribution case on Friday morning and was admitted to a private hospital on the same afternoon, is stated to be stable except for some basic weaknesses.

The ED is regularly visiting the hospital and inquiring about the health condition of the arrested minister.

The 11-day ED custody of the minister will start after he is released from the hospital.  

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)