The Income Tax Department on Friday morning searched the premises of two ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including Debasish Kumar, who is contesting the West Bengal assembly polls from Kolkata’s Rashbehari constituency, triggering protests against the alleged misuse of federal agencies ahead of the April 23-29 election.
“Searches are going on,” said a police officer, referring to Kumar’s residence on Padmapukur Road and office on Motilal Nehru early. The residence of another TMC leader, Kumar Saha, was searched in South Kolkata.
TMC workers staged a protest against the raids outside Kumar’s office and Saha’s residence. Kumar, a lawmaker in the outgoing assembly, is also a Kolkata Municipal Corporation mayor-in-council member.
TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar questioned the timing of the raids. “Elections are at the doorsteps. [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi and [Union home minister Amit] Shah have brought with them all the central agencies, ECI [Election Commission of India], and central forces. What they do not have is the people’s support.”
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) last week questioned Kumar twice in a separate alleged land-grabbing case. It searched at least five locations related to a leading real estate group in Kolkata and Salt Lake. The ED overall searched seven places in the case.
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rahul Sinha accused Kumar of receiving kickbacks for an illegal land deal. “The entire party [TMC) is corrupt. Bengal wants corrupt leaders to be behind bars. All they want is to catch thieves and fill up the jails,” he said.
