New Delhi, June 13 (IANS) BJP leaders on Saturday backed the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) searches at premises linked to Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Madan Mitra, saying investigations into corruption allegations must continue and those found guilty should face punishment.

Reacting to the ED action, Bhatpara BJP MLA Pawan Singh said central and state investigative agencies had been probing several individuals for a long time and were now pursuing the investigations more strictly.

“For a long time, agencies like the ED, CBI, and CID have been conducting investigations against several individuals. When some of these people were in power, they did not cooperate with the agencies, but now that they are out of power, the investigations are being carried out more strictly…,” Singh said.

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee also welcomed the agency’s action and said legal consequences should follow if evidence of wrongdoing is established.

“They have looted so much from the people, but there was no punishment. So, there will be an investigation. If evidence is found, they will definitely be punished…,” Chatterjee said while reacting to the ED raids at premises linked to Madan Mitra and police deployment outside the residence of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.

The reactions came as the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday conducted simultaneous raids and search operations at multiple locations in Kolkata and adjoining districts in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-municipalities job case in West Bengal.

Among the locations searched were two residences linked to Madan Mitra, the Trinamool Congress legislator from the Kamarhati Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district and a former minister in the Mamata Banerjee-led government.

According to sources, the central agency conducted searches at seven locations associated with Mitra as part of its ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in municipal recruitment and suspected financial transactions linked to the case.

The cash-for-municipalities job case relates to allegations of irregularities in recruitment to various municipal bodies in West Bengal. The ED has been investigating the alleged money trail and the role of individuals suspected of benefiting from or facilitating irregular appointments.

–IANS

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