Kolkata/IBNS: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the ration scam in West Bengal, on Tuesday said rice millers in the state opened fake bank accounts to bag the Minimum Support Price (MSP) meant for the paddy growers more than a week after minister Jyotipriyo Mallick was arrested by the central investigating agency.

The central probe agency, which is working on a number of scam cases in the eastern state of India, said the rice millers have been following the practice for years now.

"Rice millers opened fake bank accounts of farmers in connivance with certain people, including some cooperative societies, and pocketed the MSP meant to be paid to paddy growers.

"One of the key suspects has admitted that nearly Rs 200 per quintal was earned by rice millers for grain which was to be procured by government agencies at MSP from farmers," the ED said in a statement quoted by The Indian Express.

Mallick, a long term associate of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and an important member of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), was arrested more than 10 days ago.

The central probe agency had raided eight locations including the Salt Lake residence of Mallick in connection with the scam, which allegedly took place when the TMC leader was the food minister.

The ED, which is probing the money trails of the alleged irregularities in the statutory ration distribution system, has information that the arrested businessman Bakibur Rahaman has huge businesses in Bengal, Mumbai, and even in Dubai worth nearly 100 crores of rupees.

Sources also claimed Bakibur had rapport with Mallick when the latter was the state food supplies minister in the previous Mamata Banerjee government.

Mallick, who cries foul, said he was the victim of a conspiracy hatched by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules the Centre and aims to defeat TMC in the state.

"I am innocent. The BJP has conspired against me. Mamata-di knows it. I was, is and will continue to be with my party... Let me be very clear that I am already free... My party is supporting me," the senior politician said.

After the win in the 2021 assembly poll, Mallick was shifted to the Department of Forest Affairs and Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy sources.

Mallick represents the Habra assembly segment in the North 24 Parganas.