Our ED is an idiot: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

MURSHIDABAD: West Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has dubbed Directorate Enforcement (ED) an 'idiot' over the agency's summons to National Conference President Farooq Abdullah. The West Bengal Congress President at a press conference in West Bengal's Murshidabad, alleged that the ED was being run under the command of the central government.

"Whom the ED will summon and whom not is the ED's own matter. We just know that our ED is an 'idiot' and it only runs on the directions of the (central) government. This is nothing but a conspiracy against Farooq Abdullah, who is a renowned politician," said Chowdhury.

The Enforcement Directorate summoned Farooq Abdullah for questioning on Thursday in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

The former J-K Chief Minister has been asked to depose at the federal agency's office in Srinagar on Thursday. As per sources, Abdullah has been summoned as part of the ED's investigation into the alleged fund scam in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association.

Earlier in July 2022, ED filed a supplementary chargesheet against Abdullah in the case.

The case relates to the siphoning-off of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) funds by way of transfer to various personal bank accounts of unrelated parties, including those of JKCA office bearers, and by way of unexplained cash withdrawals from JKCA bank accounts.

Meanwhile previously too, Adhir Ranjan had criticised the ED calling it an "idiot" Last week while speaking on the central agency issuing a lookout circular against TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh after an attack on the ED team, the Congress MP said, "What will ED do? ED is itself an idiot. The ruling party in Bengal will look after him," the Congress MP said.

On Thursday night, an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team was attacked and its vehicles damaged in Sandeshkhali village of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal when it tried to raid the residence of block-level leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in connection with an alleged ration scam case, an official of the agency said.

The ED was conducting raids at the residence of former Bongaon Municipality Chairman Shankar Adhya in Bangaon and TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan's house in connection with the alleged ration scam case.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, who were attacked during their duty, at a hospital in Kolkata on Friday.

The Governor also summoned the Home Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) in connection with the incident.