Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 7 alleged that the Trinamool Congress desires a free license for corruption and violence in West Bengal, which is why central agencies investigating such cases face attacks in the State.
While addressing a mega rally in Jalpaiguri, Modi also claimed that “TMC’s syndicate Raj” prevails in West Bengal, and the party is only interested in protecting its corrupt leaders.
Modi’s comments came a day after an NIA team was allegedly attacked by a mob when attempting to arrest two main suspects in a 2022 blast case in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district.
He also accused the State government of impeding the implementation of the Centre’s welfare schemes for the poor.
Claiming that the Enforcement Directorate has attached properties worth ₹3,000 crore from corrupt leaders of the TMC in various corruption cases in Bengal, Modi said suggestions are being taken on ways to return the money to those who have given it.
Earlier in the day, at a rally in Nawada, Bihar, Modi took a dig at the INDIA (Indian National Development, Inclusive Alliance) bloc saying that the Congress manifesto had the imprint of the Muslim League. He called them ‘anti-Sanathan’ and ‘corrupt’.
He was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, State PWD Minister Rakesh Singh and the party’s candidate Ashish Dubey. The roadshow started in the evening from Shaheed Bhagat Singh crossing.
ED uses fridge, smart TV invoices as evidence in money laundering case against Hemant Soren
Invoices of a refrigerator and smart TV are among evidences the Enforcement Directorate used to support its claim that Jharkhand’s former Chief Minister Hemant Soren acquired 8.86 acres of land worth more than ₹31 crore illegally.
The probe agency obtained these receipts from two Ranchi-based dealers and attached those to its charge sheet filed against the 48-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and four others last month.
The special PMLA court of Judge Rajiv Ranjan in Ranchi took cognisance of the prosecution complaint on April 4.
According to the ED, the two gadgets were purchased in the name of the family members of one Santosh Munda who told the agency that he has been “residing as a caretaker of the property of Hemant Soren on the said land (8.86 acres) for 14 to 15 years”.
The agency used Munda’s statement to counter Hemant Soren’s claim that he had no link with the said land. The ED also rejected the claim of a person named Rajkumar Pahan on the piece of land, alleging that he was a “front” for Soren to keep the asset under his control.
The ED claimed that soon after Soren was issued the first summons in this case in August last year, Pahan wrote to the deputy commissioner of Ranchi stating he and some others have the land in possession and the earlier mutation in the name of other owners be cancelled and they may be saved from being evicted from their property.
The State government “restored” the land to Pahan on January 29, two days before Soren’s arrest, so that the JMM leader’s control and possession remained “unimpeded,” the ED alleged.
According to the agency, the land was originally a ‘Bhuinhari’ property that cannot be transferred or sold to anyone under general situations and ‘Mundas’ and ‘Pahans’ were the owners of such land assets.
The immovable asset was later sold to some persons by the original allottees but Soren got them “evicted” and gained control of the land in 2010-11, the ED claimed.
The ED claimed Munda was entrusted the charge of the property’s caretaker at the behest of Soren, apart from another accused in the case Hilariyas Kachhap who got an electricity meter installed there.
A refrigerator was purchased in February 2017 in the name of Munda’s son while a smart TV was purchased in November 2022 in the name of his daughter at the address where the land is located in Ranchi, the agency said.
Thus, the ED said, it is “established” that Santosh Munda and his family were residing at this property and it was not in possession of the accused person Rajkumar Pahan.
Soren, Rajkumar Pahan, Hilariyas Kachhap, Bhanu Pratap Prasad and Binod Singh have been named as accused in the 191-page charge sheet. The piece of land — 12 adjacent plots guarded by a cemented wall — has also been attached by the ED on March 30 and it is valued at over ₹31.07 crore.
Arrested TMC leader’s wife lodges FIR against NIA officers alleging assault
Wife of arrested TMC leader Monobrata Jana has filed an FIR against NIA officials alleging that they tried to outrage her modesty after forcibly entering her residence in Bhupatinagar in the pretext of conducting a probe, a police officer said on April 7.
The NIA, on April 6, arrested two key conspirators — Balai Charan Maity and Manobrata Jana — in a 2022 blast case in West Bengal’s Purba Medinpur district in which three persons were killed.
Jana’s wife Moni Jana lodged her complaint with Bhupatinagar police station alleging that NIA officers also vandalised properties in her residence during their raid on Saturday morning, he said.
“We have registered an FIR after receiving a complaint from a woman alleging assault by NIA officers. We are looking into the complaint,” the police officer said.
IPC Section 354 (for assaulting any woman, with an intention to outrage her modesty) was attached to the complaint, the police officer added.
Meanwhile, police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the attack on the NIA officers who have lodged a complaint with the Bhupatinagar police station, he added.
AAP leaders observe fast, Punjab BJP terms it as a ‘political farce’
Even as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in Punjab gathered at Khatkar Kalan in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, to observe a day-long fast to protest the arrest of party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) termed it as a “political farce”.
On the call for a nationwide collective fast to protest against Kejriwal’s arrest, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Cabinet Ministers and MLAs, among others, observed the fast at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of noted freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
Hitting out at the BJP-led Central government, Mann said that wherever there was a non-BJP government in any State, the BJP resorted to harassment.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar hit out at Mann, accusing him of insulting Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s birthplace and legacy to propagate the corruption of their tainted leader – Kejriwal.
Jakhar said the AAP leadership had already been exposed for its involvement in liquor scams both in Delhi and Punjab and the people of the country had seen through their veil of hollow promises and fake ideology.
Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP organised a protest at Connaught Place, Delhi, less then a kilometre away from Jantar Mantar, where the AAP was holding a hunger strike. The party demanded Kejriwal’s resignation.
At the busy market, the BJP put up an exhibition of “corruption” at which an alleged model of the renovated Chief Minister’s bungalow in Civil Lines was put on display, with the BJP calling the public to see for themselves the opulence of the residence, which they have termed ‘Sheeshmahal’, allegedly built with public funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A selfie point with the name ‘Sharab se Sheeshmahal tak’ was also set up at the protest venue with liquor bottle-shaped cut-outs of AAP leaders accused in the alleged excise policy scam.
Sachdeva said that the AAP should not be organising a hunger protest but should be asking for forgiveness from the people of Delhi for indulging in corruption.
Mamata accuses Central agencies of asking Trinamool leaders to join BJP or face action
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 7 alleged the central investigating agencies were asking Trinamool Congress leaders to either join the BJP or face action.
Addressing an election rally in Purulia district, she alleged agencies such as the ED, CBI, NIA and the I-T Department were working as “arms” of the BJP.
“Agencies such as the NIA, ED and CBI are being used to harass TMC leaders. They are carrying out raids without prior information, and barging into houses. What the women would do if someone entered their house when everyone was asleep in the dead of night?” she asked.
Banerjee was referring to the incident in Bhupatinagar on April 6 where a team of the NIA was attacked by a mob when it went to arrest two accused in a blast case.
“The agencies are asking our leaders and activists to either join the BJP or face action,” she alleged.
Asking people not to fall for any provocation, Banerjee alleged the BJP was fanning communal passions during Ram Navami.
She also accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of depriving West Bengal of funds for MGNREGA and PM-Awas schemes.
Poll roundup
- In what could cause potential trouble to BJP’s Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency candidate Nainar Nagenthran, election officials on April 6 night seized ₹3.98 crore cash from three passengers linked to him travelling on board the Nellai Express at the Tambaram railway station. This is the single largest seizure of unaccounted cash in Tamil Nadu after the Model Code of Conduct came into force. According to police sources, the first accused in the case, who could not account for the money, gave a statement to Election Commission’s flying squad team claiming the money was meant for distribution to voters in the Tirunelveli Lok Sabha constituency where Nainar Nagenthran is contesting.
- The Peoples Democratic Party on April 7 announced it will field candidates from all three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley, with party president Mehbooba Mufti contesting from south Kashmir’s Anantnag-Rajouri seat. PDP youth president Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra and former Rajya Sabha member Fayaz Ahmad Mir will contest from central Kashmir’s Srinagar and north Kashmir’s Baramulla seats, respectively.
- The Congress on April 7 announced its candidates for three parliamentary constituencies of Bangaon, Uluberia and Ghatal in West Bengal. The party also named its candidate for the by-election to Bhagabangola Assembly constituency in Murshidabad district. The party named Pradip Biswas for Bangaon seat, Azahar Mollick for Uluberia and Papiya Chakraborty for Ghatal. Polling in Bangaon and Uluberia is scheduled in the fifth phase on May 20, while electors in Ghatal will exercise their franchise on May 25. With Sunday’s announcement, the Congress named candidates for 13 parliamentary seats in West Bengal.
In Brief
Romario Shepherd’s 10-ball 39 not out outmuscled Tristan Stubb’s courageous 71 off 25 balls as Mumbai Indians ended its three-match losing streak in the Indian Premier League with a 29–run win against Delhi Capitals in Mumbai on April 7. Conceding as many as 51 runs in the last two overs proved catastrophic for Delhi Capitals, whose bowlers remained wayward and batters lacked the spunk in the initial overs to go after MI bowlers, even though Stubbs went ballistic to make 25-ball 71 not out.
Evening Wrap will return tomorrow.
