BJP’s West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar took a dig at chief minister Mamata Banerjee over Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Jyotipriya Mallick’s arrest in connection with the alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam, saying that the CM has been “sympathising with thieves”.

“Mamata Banerjee said that they will file a case against ED and CBI…so let them. Why are they so scared? If you haven’t stolen anything then let the agencies do their work,” Majumdar told news agency ANI.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari also slammed Mamata Banerjee saying she did not appoint Mallick as minister in charge of food and supplies department in 2021 as she “wanted to save him from the glare of Central Investigation Agencies”.

“She wanted him to keep raising funds illegally and hand over the share of the proceeds to intended persons…So as a way out she appointed him as the Chairman of the West Bengal Essential Commodities Supply Corporation (WBECSC); the company which is entrusted with the procurement & distribution of paddy & other food grains in WB. She didn’t stop at this only. To ensure that siphoning of funds is done smoothly and efficiently, she appointed A.Subbiah; a retired IAS officer, as the MD of the West Bengal Essential Commodities Supply Corporation (WBECSC) to facilitate Jyotipriya Mallick,” Adhikari alleged.

Meanwhile, BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said that Mallick’s arrest was anticipated after the revelations made by one of his associates. “It has once again been proven that the TMC is deeply mired in corruption,” he said.

Jyotipriya Mallick was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Friday morning, a day after the central probe agency carried out searches at his residence in Kolkata’s Salt Lake. While being whisked away by the ED officials, Mallick – who holds the portfolios of public enterprises and industrial reconstruction and forest – said that he was the “victim of a grave conspiracy”.