ED raids in Bengal over irregularities in NRI quota medical admissions

KOLKATA // Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Tuesday carried out simultaneous raids and search operations at various locations in West Bengal in connection with alleged irregularities in admissions under the NRI quota in several medical colleges and hospitals, an official said.

ED officials also raided the residences of officials of these institutions in Kolkata’s Salt Lake as well as in Birbhum, Durgapur, Jhargram and Burdwan districts, the official said.

He said officials of the central probe agency seized several documents and bank-related papers from the offices and residences during the raids.

“Office bearers of the institutions were also questioned in connection with the papers and documents seized from them,” the ED official said.

Accompanied by a large number of central forces, ED officials also raided the residence of former CPI(M) (Communist Party of India-Marxist) leader Laxman Seth in Haldia and a medical college run by his NGO (non-governmental organisation).