KOLKATA: Embarrassing his own party, BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh on Sunday said the Centre, realising that a section of CBI officers has been sold, has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to swing into action and probe the scams in Bengal.
“A section of CBI officers has been sold in exchange of lakhs or crores. Realising it, the Centre asked the ED to step in and probe the different cases of corruption in the state. The ruling TMC is scared because they cannot settle a deal with the ED like they did with the CBI,’’ Ghosh said at an event organised by the Ministry of Culture.
Ghosh’s comment to attack the TMC came at a time when the BJP’s Bengal chapter has maintained distance over the ongoing probes being conducted by the CBI and ED. A section of BJP leaders in Kolkata said Ghosh’s statement was aimed at attacking the TMC but it actually gifted the ruling party a tool to lambast the saffron camp.
‘’The TMC never misses an opportunity to accuse the central agencies for acting at the behest of the BJP. Ghosh’s comment will strengthen their allegation, embarrassing us,’’ said a BJP leader. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh asked whether Ghosh has targeted the BJP-ruled central government. “By mentioning CBI’s deal, did Ghosh point his finger at someone within the BJP? Did he indicate why leader of Opposition Subhendu Adhikari is not being touched by the CBI?,’’ Ghosh asked.
Adhikari, the former lieutenant of Mamata Banerjee, is one of the accused in the Narada sting operation case in which several persons having resemblance with TMC leaders were seen accepting money from the representatives of a fictitious company.
In May, Ghosh was asked by the BJP’s brass not to make any comment which could embarrass the party. Earlier, he had said the CBI was not acting promptly in alleged recruitment scam in schools despite the court’s order.
Meanwhile, CBI sleuths said TMC leader Anubrata Mondal’s powerful network ensured safe passage for cattle smuggled through Birbhum district to Malda and Murshidabad which share border with Bangladesh.