New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate apprehended former Bongaon Municipality Chairman Shankar Adhya on Saturday midnight in connection with an alleged ration scam. The arrest of the TMC leader came after an extensive search of his premises in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, a day subsequent to an ED team being assaulted during raids in the case. Adhya was taken to a hospital in Kolkata for a medical examination on Saturday.

On Thursday night, ED officials faced an assault in North 24 Parganas district while en route to conduct raids at the residences of ex-Bongaon Municipality chairman Shankar Adhya and Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan in relation to the alleged ration ‘scam’ case.

The Trinamool Congress leader’s supporters started protesting outside the leader’s residence while the raid was underway and later on a mob attacked ED officials and vandalized their cars, according to ED officials. A member of the raiding ED team said, “Eight people came to the spot. We three moved from the incident spot …they attacked us.”

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress leaders said that the attack on the team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in West Bengal was an “effect of provocation”.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh alleged that the Central agency is working against the leader of his party at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“What happened in Sandeskhali was an effect of provocation. In West Bengal, central agencies and forces on the instructions of the BJP are going to the residence of one or the other TMC leader or workers to harass, spread negative statements and provoke people. We are receiving such allegations and that’s what happened in Sandeshkhali yesterday,” Ghosh 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.

As per reports, 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.