Kolkata, Nov 9 (IANS) The BJP on Sunday flayed the Trinamool Congress for “corruption” after a huge amount of cash and luxury cars were recovered from the house of its functionary in the raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

BJP’s IT cell chief and party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, said in an X post, “Yet another ‘illustrious’ face of Trinamool exposed! Ajmal Siddiqui, State Secretary of the Trinamool Minority Cell, has been caught by the Enforcement Directorate for operating a sprawling sex racket and amassing crores through corruption. From his home, the ED recovered stacks of cash and two luxury cars – the spoils of his criminal empire built on women trafficking and illegal liquor trade.”

The reaction from the BJP leader came after more than Rs 1.01 crore in cash and two luxury cars were seized in West Bengal on Friday after the ED conducted simultaneous raids as part of a money laundering investigation into an alleged organised human trafficking and prostitution racket being operated in certain bars and restaurants.

The BJP IT Cell Chief said, “Can anyone believe Trinamool’s top brass was unaware? Of course not – they’re neck-deep in the same filth. This party has turned into a syndicate of traffickers and crooks. The law must catch up with every one of them – now.”

According to the ED, at least eight premises in Bidhannagar (North 24 Parganas district), Kolkata, and Siliguri were raided by the central probe agency on Friday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA),

The money laundering case stems from multiple FIRs and charge sheets filed by the state police against the key accused, identified as Jagjit Singh, Ajmal Siddiqui, Bishnu Mundra and their associates.

The investigation revealed that the accused were involved in exploiting vulnerable women by luring them with false promises of employment and coercing them into prostitution.

Multiple FIRs against the accused were registered under the Arms Act, and Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1986 – all of which fall under the ambit of the PMLA, 2002.

Meanwhile, in another post, Malviya condemned the alleged sexual assault on a four-year-old girl in Hooghly district’s Tarkeshwar and slammed the police for “refusing” to take a complaint.

“A 4-year-old girl’s life has been shattered in Tarkeshwar, West Bengal. Her family rushed to the police station, desperate for justice, but the Tarkeshwar Police REFUSED to register an FIR. The child was taken to a hospital, only to be referred to Chandannagar, while the police seem busy burying the crime to protect the state’s fake “law and order” image. This is the grim reality of Mamata Banerjee’s regime,” said Malviya in a post.

“Instead of upholding justice, the police appear to be shielding criminals, acting more like sycophants than officers of the law. Have they forgotten their oath to protect the people? Mamata Banerjee, your leadership has failed West Bengal,” he added.

–IANS

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