In a major crackdown on the Ration Distribution Scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated simultaneous raids across West Bengal early Friday morning. Targeted operations are currently underway at 12 key locations, including Kolkata, Murshidabad, Bongaon, and Howrah. The investigation has brought businessman Basant Kumar Saraf under the scanner, as his firms are suspected of facilitating a massive network of corruption and illegal siphoning of food grains.

According to ED sources, essential commodities meant for the public distribution system were systematically diverted to the black market through a well-organized syndicate involving warehouses, transporters, and wholesalers. Investigators suspect the use of multiple shell companies to launder the proceeds of this multi-crore scam. During today’s operation, central officials seized several digital devices, hard disks, and incriminating documents. The ED believes the conspiracy extends beyond local players, hinting at the involvement of influential individuals. With the agency intensifying its scrutiny of bank accounts and GST records, more summons and potential arrests are expected as the probe unfolds.