The CBI began a search operation at the house of arrested TMC leader Sankar Addya at Bongaon in North 24 Parganas on Monday in connection with the alleged attack on the officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) when the investigation agency went to raid in an alleged ration (PDS) scam, official sources said.

The CBI, along with the officials of the Central Forensic Department, was trying to reconstruct the attacks on the ED officials when the latter was returning with the arrested TMC leader on the night of January 5.

Shankar Addya, a former Chairman of the Bongaon Municipality, was also a close lieutenant of the arrested former Food Minister Jyotipriya Mallick.

Sources told UNI the CBI, probing the alleged attacks on the ED officials, is probing the case following a Calcutta High Court order.

The CBI had already conducted a similar search operation at Sandeshkhali last week where the ED officials were also attacked by the followers of arrested Sahjahan Sheikh.

At Sandeshkhali the ED officials had to abandon the search operation and returned after being beaten. The ED officials while trying to break open the collapsible gates for the search operation, also in the ration scam, had to flee for life.

Sahjahan, also accused of attacking the ED officials on January 5, was arrested on February 29 by the West Bengal Police.

The CBI got his custody on March 6 following the Calcutta High Court order.

(With UNI inputs)