With the West Bengal Assembly Elections drawing closer, political tensions have escalated in the state as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a third summons to outgoing Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose in connection with the municipal recruitment scam case.
According to ED sources, Bose—who is also the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from Bidhannagar—had earlier been summoned twice but did not appear for questioning, citing his busy schedule due to ongoing election campaigning. He had reportedly informed the agency that he would be available to depose only after the elections, in May.
However, the ED has now directed Bose to appear at the CGO Complex on Saturday, warning that legal action may be initiated if he fails to comply with the latest notice.
The development comes a day after Bose sent a letter to the agency alleging harassment. In his communication, he claimed that despite informing the ED about his preoccupation with campaign duties, he continued to receive repeated summons, which he termed as undue pressure.
In a parallel development, outgoing Food Minister Rathin Ghosh has also been summoned by the ED in connection with a land encroachment case. He, too, did not appear before investigators earlier this week when called to the CGO Complex.
The ED’s recent actions are not limited to these two leaders. The agency has also summoned Debasish Kumar, outgoing MLA and TMC candidate from Rashbehari, in connection with a separate land-related case.
These back-to-back summons issued to multiple TMC candidates have sparked a political debate in the state. Leaders within the ruling party have raised questions over the timing and intent of the central agency’s actions, alleging that candidates from their party are being selectively targeted in the run-up to the elections.
On the other hand, officials maintain that the ED has intensified its operations across West Bengal as part of its mandate to investigate financial irregularities and trace illicit funds. In recent weeks, the agency has conducted multiple raids across the state, recovering substantial amounts of cash and documents linked to alleged scams.
As campaigning enters its final phase, the ED’s heightened activity has added a new dimension to the political landscape, with the controversy over its actions likely to remain a key issue in the days leading up to polling.
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