Now ED knocks at door of Mamata’s trusted aide, emissary for critical Matua vote bank

There are allegations of irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS) and ‘anomalies’ in the distribution of food grains during the lockdown. Mallick was the state food and supplies minister between 2011 and 2021, during which time the alleged scam took place. At present, he is the Minister for the Department of Forest Affairs and Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy.

Mallick is a three-time Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA from Habra constituency in North 24 Parganas, and a trusted lieutenant of party supremo Mamata Banerjee. Popularly known as ‘Balu Da’, Mallick belongs to Burdwan’s ‘Agoori’ community – a warrior community with links to Burdwan’s erstwhile ‘Maharaja’, whose ancestors came from Rajasthan. Over the years, he has gained considerable influence over the state’s Matua community, the largest Scheduled Caste community in West Bengal, which has had an impact over poll results in about 50 Assembly constituencies across Bengal.

The president of the North 24 Parganas district unit of the TMC, Mallick is said to have introduced Mamata Banerjee to the late matriarch of the Matua community, Binapani Devi, popularly known as ‘Bawro Ma (Big Mother)’. In the 2011 Assembly elections, the TMC got overwhelming support from the community and Mamata Banerjee became the CM.

After the 2011 victory, Mamata Banerjee made Mallick minister of the food and supplies department, a post he held till 2021. He is credited with implementing the Digital Ration Card scheme in the state, as well as Mamata Banerjee’s dream project of providing 1 kg rice at Rs 2 to the downtrodden sections.

After the TMC came to power for a third straight term in 2021, Mallick was given the portfolios of forest affairs, and non-conventional and renewable energy sources. In a Cabinet reshuffle earlier this year, he received additional charge of the state public enterprises and industrial reconstruction departments.

In August this year, a controversy erupted when his daughter, Priyadarshini Mallick, was appointed the secretary of the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE). She was posted for a period of minimum three years or more, until further orders. At the time, she was an assistant professor of Microbiology at Asutosh College, Kolkata. Governor C V Ananda Bose approved Priyadarshini’s appointment, even though the BJP kept alleging that Mallick had used his influence to get his daughter appointed to the position, which was denied by Mallick at the time.

With fresh raids currently underway at Mallick’s residence, the spotlight is back on the minister, this time for his alleged involvement in the PDS scam. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said, “It is normal that raids are being conducted to probe his [Mallick’s] involvement in the scam. This should have happened earlier. Businessman Bakibur Rahman, who was arrested earlier, has links with the state minister. These need to be probed, as well as how he [Rahman] made such a fortune? Did he use Mallick’s influence? Who actually owns the wealth? We feel Mallick should be arrested and questioned by the ED.”

There was no immediate reaction from TMC over the raids on Mallick, nor did Rahaman — a rice mill owner who was arrested by the ED on October 13 — react to his alleged links with the minister. ED officials have said they are looking into shell companies Rahaman had allegedly opened and siphoned off money.