New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate apprehended former Bongaon Municipality Chairman Shankar Adhya on Saturday at midnight in connection with an alleged ration scam.

The arrest of the TMC leader came after an extensive search of his premises

Shankar, widely known as ‘Daku’ throughout the district, has earned recognition even among the party’s top leaders by that name. His political journey began alongside the influential TMC leader and currently incarcerated minister, Jyotipriyo Mallik. Shankar Adhya assumed the role of councilor in Bangaon Municipality in 2005 and later ascended to the position of chairman.

Holding sway over various Trinamool organizations, Shankar’s influence extended to his wife, Jyotsna, who became the municipality’s chairperson. Shankar’s rapid rise is largely attributed to the support of Jyotipriyo Mallick. Expanding his legacy significantly, Shankar engaged in foreign currency exchange in Kolkata, Bangaon, and the Petrapole border.

He established a hotel, gold shop, and a school worth Rs 10 crore in his father’s name, along with acquiring a market in Bangaon and constructing a hotel cum restaurant in front of the Bangaon police station on Municipality and PWD land.

Shankar’s ventures also include a 3-star hotel in Digha, luxurious flats in Kolkata and Dubai. However, opponents claim that he was involved in facilitating illegal crossings from India to Bangladesh. Despite aspiring to contest in the 2021 assembly elections, Shankar refrained from campaigning due to the party’s dissatisfaction. Following the party’s electoral setback, he was relieved of all posts.

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.”