Now, ED Summons Bengali Actor Rituparna Sengupta; Know Why

Kolkata: The central probe agencies have been investigating multiple scams in West Bengal over the past few years. A couple of ministers as well as a number of leaders and functionaries are serving prison terms.

Now, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked popular Bengali actor Rituparna Sengupta to appear before its officials here on June 5. The summon is in connection with her alleged role in the Rs 10,000-crore ration scam in the state, reported The Indian Express.

Primary investigation has revealed that money obtained from the ration scam was used in the Bengali film industry, ED sources said.

Rituparna, who in 2019 was interrogated by ED in connection with the Rose Valley ponzi scam, has been asked to report to ED’s Nizam Palace office with details of the accounts of her films.

The 52-year-old actress-producer has worked in 218 films, including 181 Bengali and 33 Hindi movies.

In the alleged ration scam, rice and wheat were supplied in less than mandated quantities to fair price shop distributors and the balance sold in the open market for profit by a businessman called Bakibur Rahman during the second term of Mamata Banerjee government (2016-21).

ED arrested Bakibur on October 14.

Bakibur is alleged to have close links with former state Food & Supplies and Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallick, was also arrested by ED on October 27.